Volume I: The Nascency
by xKatx
Summary: Sara was determined to get through the criminalistics conference feelingsfree. They were staying with Nick’s family, but Sara was determined not to get involved. It would bring her no where she wanted to be again…CH. 13 FINAL CHAPTER up 2.6.04! R&R!
1. And So It Begins

**Volume I: The Nascency**

**By: **_xKatx_

**Summary:** Sara was determined to get through the criminalistics conference feelings-free. They were staying with Nick's family, but Sara was determined not to get involved. It would bring her no where she wanted to be again…

**Author's Note**: This is Volume I of a series I plan to write. First, we're starting present-day. Vol. II will follow this story, and Vol. III will involve younger people, but for now stay focused on this one!

**Request:** Read and review!

**Rating:** PG-13

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Gil Grissom – the head of the night shift at the Las Vegas Crime Lab – liked to have his shift as organized and scheduled as possible. He would arrive (several hours before the others, of course), get a cup of coffee, walk from the break room down the hall to his office where he would shut the door, flip on some Tchaikovsky, and go through the papers that had made their way to his desk. Most were cases, or paperwork concerning cases. But sometimes they were notices. Annoying little letters from the Mayor or the "Head Man" of the LVCL. Occasionally there were phone calls to make or receive, but his main concern was the papers on his desk. After all, he liked everything organized.

But tonight, it was organized. Surprisingly enough there were only a few foreign papers on his desk. But he still sat there two hours after he'd arrived, contemplating the contents of one of the letters he'd received. Of course, this was the perfect time for one of the team members to walk in.

"Hey Gris," Nick Stokes said, as he stopped outside his boss's door, wondering what was going through his mind.

Grissom slowly looked up at the younger man, "Evening, Nick."

"Everything all right?"

Grissom nodded, "Why wouldn't it be?"

Nick shrugged, "You looked out of it."

Grissom shook his head, "Just thinking."

Nick lowered his voice as he stood in the doorway, "You got my request for the promotion, right?"

Grissom was pulled out of his thoughts again, as he nodded, "Yes, Nick, I got your letter."

Nick nodded, "See you in a few," he said, as he vacated his boss's door jam. Grissom let out a long breath as another problem entered his mind. The promotion. Two of his best CSIs had applied for it, and now he had to choose. Sara. Or Nick. It was like deciding whom you'd save if you had to get one person out of a burning house. Sara had instinct, and she never stopped until the evidence was steadfast. But she often became too obsessive – too wrapped up in a case to actually think clearly. But then again, Nick was a people person. He often let his feelings get involved, even when he tried not to. But he was every bit professional with every case. He was observant, and he often caught things others missed.

Grissom sighed and threw a pen onto his desk. Even the brilliant composition of Tchaikovsky could not soothe his confusion.

"Hey sweetie," a calm voice said from the doorway.

Gil Grissom's face lit up with a smile as he looked up at his blonde-haired, blue-eyed, very pregnant wife Catherine Willows Grissom. If anything could set his mind at ease, it was her.

"Have you been here the whole time?" She questioned, walking to the desk and kissing him gently.

He shrugged, "Only since nine," he reassured her. She looked rested, considering she'd spent eight months and three weeks out of the field.  
She rolled her eyes, "How can you stand it?"

He smiled at her as his hand went to her face, "Knowing that at seven I can go home with my wife and daughter," he replied.

Catherine smiled, "We'd better get to the break room," she said, as she kissed him one final time and walked out. Grissom smiled; it was all he could do.

~

"Wait, so Cath you said it was a boy, right?" Sara asked as the other CSIs sat around the break room waiting for Grissom to show up.

"I never said," Catherine replied with a grin.

Warrick Brown shook his orange-poofy haired head, "What's with you and boys, Sara?"

"Is there really the need to ask that question?" Greg Sanders wondered, "All women think about are clothes, men, and Oprah."

Sara and Catherine glared at him in surprise, "That is not _all_ we think about!" Sara exclaimed.

"Don't lie," Greg said with a grin, "It's been scientifically proven."

Catherine gave him a condescending grin, "When you're a mother, it doesn't _matter_ what clothes you wear, and if you're married you don't think a lot about men."

"Sorry," Greg said, holding up his hands as he grabbed a cup of coffee off the table, "I stand corrected. All women like _Sara_ think about clothes, men, and Oprah."

Before Sara could reply with more than a poisonous glare, Grissom walked in with a manila envelope and two case files.

"Okay everyone, case files," he announced, opening the first one, "Warrick, you can handle this one: armed robbery and arson downtown at a local pawnshop."

Warrick nodded as he took the folder and skimmed its contents.

Grissom turned to Catherine, "You get to stay here."

Catherine made a playful swat for him, but he moved to the left just in time.

He grinned at her before turning to Greg, "Greg, you're with me. Double homicide at UNLV."

Greg raised his eyebrows, "Me?"

Grissom looked at him, "Someone here is getting the promotion and we're going to have to replace him or her."

Greg stood stunned for a minute but nodded and took the envelope Grissom handed to him.

Grissom turned to Nick and Sara, whose looks completely stated, _What the hell are you doing?_

"You two," he said, pulling a flier out of the large manila envelope, "Get to attend a criminalistics conference in –" he paused to look at the flier, and smirked, "-Dallas."

Nick's eyebrows shot up, "_Dallas?_" He asked. Grissom nodded, handing him a flier, "It's in a week and a half, so I suggest you two get out of here as soon as possible. The conference lasts four days, but since that's home for you, Nicky , I'm letting you two get two weeks off. I don't want to see either of you in here until November 7th, understand?"

Nick, who couldn't have been happier than if he'd won the $2 million dollar lottery, nodded enthusiastically. Sara, on the other hand, just nodded. Catherine noticed her expression, but said nothing until Grissom, Greg, Warrick, and Nick left the break room.

"What's up, Sara. You look less than thrilled," Catherine said, trying to get comfortable at the table with some paper work.

Sara looked at Catherine, "It's nothing, Cath."

Catherine gave the younger women a stare that clearly said what was on her mind.

Sara sighed and gave in, "Cath, you know he has a big family – " her voice lowered, "-I come from a broken family."

Catherine looked interested, considering Sara Sidle had never mentioned her family life before.

"Go on," Catherine gently urged her.

Sara contemplated whether she should, but decided it was Catherine – she could talk to Catherine. 

"My dad left my mom when I was thirteen. He'd always said that his wife and two daughters were the only ladies in his life. His 'Three Musketeers,'" she laughed harshly, "Well, you can tell what a bunch of bullshit that was. He ran off and married some woman named Angelica Cartwright. My mom never remarried. Heartbroken, I suppose. But it got worse. Every summer Haylie, my sister, and I would have to visit him. We spent three weeks of our summer there. Angelica had brought two girls and a boy with her. James, the boy, he was awesome. Sweet as could be. So was Myra, the younger girl. They were both so much fun to play with, and they were nice. But Stephanie – she was the oldest – Stephanie was awful."

Sara stopped, and Catherine was pretty sure she was finished, "Sara," she said softly, placing her hand over the other woman's, "Are you nervous about meeting Nick's family because of the trouble you've had with yours?"  
Sara shrugged, "Maybe a little," she said, not wanting to seem like a pathetic, whining baby, "But also – isn't meeting the family a bit much? You don't meet the family until you're engaged."

Catherine let out a loud laugh that was heard down by the receptionist's desk, "Oh Sara, with your sense of humor and Nick's personality, you two will be fine."

Sara felt reassured, considering it wasn't even positive they would be staying with Nick's family. She decided she would cross that bridge when she came to it.

"So, Cath," Sara said, getting up to refill their coffee cups and trying to perk up, "Since I have absolutely nothing to do yet, and I don't felt like going home to pack, why don't you tell me the names you and Griss have picked out for the baby."

Catherine's whole face lit up with a rosy shine at the mention of the expectancy, "Well, Gil really has his heart set on having a boy, so if it is, we're going to have to choose between Nicholas, Warrick, or Gregory."

"Well," Sara said, with a semi-sarcastic smile, "You could always name it Narrgory."

Catherine laughed, nearly spitting out her coffee, "Narrgory… what would be his middle name?"

"Well, let's see," Sara said, "Stokes, Brown, Sanders…" the two pondered in silence until Sara grinned.

"I've got it," she said, "Narrgory Stownders Grissom."

The two had a good laugh that lasted a full three minutes over the name they'd concocted for Gil Grissom's first child and Catherine Willows Grissom's second.

"But in all seriousness, Gil likes the name Michael and I like the name Dylan, so considering that we agreed on Dylan Michael if it was a boy."

Sara nodded, "What if it turns out to be a girl?"

"Well," Catherine said, letting out a long breath, "We already have Lindsay Marie, so we were thinking Miranda Jane."

"Are you serious? Jane is so old fashion!" Sara exclaimed.

"Well," Catherine replied, "That's Gil for you."

~

**A/N:** Read and review if you enjoyed it! More to come!


	2. On The Road

Volume I: The Nascency

By:_ xKatx_

**Summary:** Sara was determined to get through the criminalistics conference feelings-free. They were staying with Nick's family, but Sara was determined not to get involved. It would bring her no where she wanted to be again…

**Author's Note:** Read and review Ch. 2!

**Request:** Read and review!

**Rating:** PG-13

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The time flew by and soon is was time for Nick and Sara's departure. They had figured out they would make it to Dallas in three days – leaving them a week to relax until the conference began. Nick planned on getting Sara "country-inized" in that week. All Sara could do was laugh.

They were on the road by seven thirty that morning. It had been cool, seeing as it was October, but comfortable. Nick was behind the wheel, shades in place. He could not believe his luck: he was going home, and going with Sara.

_Sara._

That one statuesque creature that he'd fancied since their first week on the job together. His hidden desire for her was like a cancer – it slowly grew and grew until he thought it would consume his entire being. Every little thing she did threw him into a tailspin. A simple flip of her hair, a smile… even when she got angry, Nick found it endearing. And if anything flourished, Nick knew it would be a normal, healthy relationship. Sure, they argued, but they always made things right before shift ended. They never went home angry at each other, and that was something Nick thought would help make their relationship grow.

But right now, they were just friends, and that's how it would have to stay.

Being in the same car with Nick was something that never bother Sara. He was her friend, her colleague. Nothing more. Sara liked it that way, because there were no strings attached, and she didn't have the chance of being hurt. Sara stared out the window as she pondered her own fear of intimacy. It'd been that way since her dad had left. Her sister, Haylie, had handled it better. Maybe it was because Haylie had been older at the time. Sara sighed. Her older sister. Sometimes she missed her so much Sara thought her heart would break. But all she had to do was pick up the phone and dial a few numbers. Haylie knew about Sara's problem with guys, and Sara found it comforting to talk to her sister about it. 

But right now, Haylie wasn't in the car with her. Nick was. And it turned out, Nick was a man.

Sara looked at him. Boy, was he _all_ man. Sara thanked God she had brought her shades so Nick wouldn't be able to tell she was looking at him. Sara silently admired his sinewy, very tanned forearms that conveniently led to his well-developed biceps. The black t-shirt he wore didn't leave much to the imagination, considering it clung to his muscular shoulders and his drop-dead _gorgeous_ chest. Sara never thought a man's chest could be sexy, considering every chest she'd ever seen had either been _too_ muscular, or too…_hairy. But as far as Sara could tell from the shirts Nick wore, his chest was _not_ hairy and it was muscular enough to grab her attention, not gross her out._

Sara shook her head. She was _really_ losing it. But she had to admit, when she first started (and before Catherine married Grissom), the two women would place their dibs on the guys at the LVCL. At first, Sara had had her eye on Grissom, but eventually that infatuation died out. It had taken Catherine a while to really look at Grissom, but when she did, the result was a 'happily-ever-after' ending. Sara had often thought Warrick was handsome. His personality was awesome, but he was also like a big brother. Sara laughed to herself. And poor Greg – he'd asked her out earlier, but it just hadn't felt right. She did, however, eventually go to breakfast with just Greg, and it was right to just be friends. But…

_Nick._

"Hey, look at that," he said, pointing out her window. Sara looked, and there read a sign, 'WELCOME TO NEW MEXICO.'

"No kidding," she said, "We're already in New Mexico?"

Nick nodded, giving her a smile.

Sara raised an eyebrow, "Nick Stokes, you didn't speed, did you?"

Nick looked affronted, "Sara Sidle, how dare you suggest such a thing?"

Sara laughed at his expression and ran a hand through her hair. Luckily, it didn't feel too gross at the moment, and they were already closer to Dallas than they had been.

"Well," Sara said, looking at Nick with a warm smile, "Since I'm going to have to be staying with _you_," Nick raised an eyebrow at this, "And your family, you might as well start telling me about them."

Nick smiled cockily, "_All_ of them, or only the ones you'll be meeting?"

Sara slapped him on the arm and he threw her a feigned look of hurt, "Ow, Sidle!"

Sara pouted, "Aww, poor baby. Just tell me."

Nick shook his head with a smile before beginning.

"All right. There are thirteen people living at my house right now. The oldest are my paternal grandparents, Edward and Charlotte Stokes. They go by Gramps and Gram. Then my parents, Edward Jr. and Margerie Stokes. They go by Ed and Marge. Then there are five boys; you'll be meeting the other four..." Nick paused to go over the names and put them in birth order, "Robert, Tucker, Daniel, Tyler, and me. Robert is married to Marie and they have a teenage boy and teenage girl, Caleb and Lela. Caleb is 15 and Lela is 14. Tucker is married to Lauren, and they have a little girl, Madison, who is 4. Daniel is married to Rachel and they have two boys and two girls. Brandon is 13, Andrew is 12, Danielle is 12 and Anna is 10."

"Are Andrew and Danielle twins?" Sara asked, and Nick smiled.

"Yeah, fraternal twins, so you'll be able to tell them apart. Anyway, Tyler is engaged to a girl named Kimberly, but they won't be tying the knot until March."

Sara nodded, easily remembering everything Nick was saying.

"Then you'll meet my four sisters: Cynthia, Grace, Kayla, and Christine. This is easier than the boys," Nick added with a laugh, "Only Cynthia and Grace are married. Cynthia's husband is Jack. They have four boys. Devon is 14, Brian is 13, Logan is 12, and Tim is 11. Grace's husband is Ben, and they have two boys and four girls. Cody is 14, Nick is 13, Kelsey is 15, Allison is 14, Rebecca is 13, and Morgan is 12. Kayla and Christine are only in their twenties, so their not married."

Nick looked at Sara, who nodded, "Any questions?" He asked with a grin.

Sara nodded, "Just a couple. One, what about your maternal grandparents?"

Nick let out a breath, "Well, Steven and Victoria James, those are my mom's parents, they live in Houston, so we see them a lot, but they probably won't be there."

Sara nodded again, "What is the birth order of all your siblings, all the boys and girls?"

Nick smiled and thought for a second, "All right, it goes Robert, Cynthia, Tucker, Daniel, Grace, Tyler, Nick, Kayla, and Christine."

Sara grinned, "Sounds like you had multiple people looking after you."

"You bet," Nick said, "We had fun though."

"I'm sure. One more question," she said, "Did Grace and Ben name their thirteen year old after you?"

Nick smiled with pride, "Yep, they did."

Sara nodded, "All done," she said with a grin.

Nick let out another long breath, "Once you match a face with the name it'll be easier to remember."

"I pity your future wife," she said, looking at him.

"Why?" He questioned with interest.

"She'll have to use names like 'Dorothy' and 'Florence' and 'Ethel' for her girls and 'Harold' and 'Walter' and 'Arthur' for her boys."

Nick laughed, "Why is that?"

"Because all the good names are already taken!" Sara said, causing Nick to dissolve into laughter.

~

Nick and Sara had stopped a motel late that night, and had each indulged by showering as long as they liked and then sleeping in. Their plans were to sleep as late as possible, but both ended up rising at eight-thirty. 

Sara indulged herself again by taking one more shower and then pulling on jean shorts, a white tank top, and a black zip up hooded sweatshirt. She applied what little make-up she'd brought, pulled her hair back into a ponytail, slipped her black flip-flops on, and packed her duffel.

She had just reached the Tahoe when Nick joined her, "Good morning," he greeted, a big smile on his face.

She smiled back, "Good morning."

"Here, let me take that," Nick said, offering to take care of repacking the Tahoe.

"Only if you let me return your key for you," she said.

Nick nodded, "Agreed," he said, handing it to her, "I'll pull around front and get you."

Sara nodded and walked to the registration desk. As she returned her keys, she noticed there was a continental breakfast in the corner. She thanked the man behind the desk and made her way to the corner. She pulled out a couple of styrofoam cups, and racked her brain trying to remember how Nick took his coffee. She remembered and quickly poured him a cup, adding two packs of sugar. She pulled out a cardboard tray and put her coffee and his in it. She then grabbed two bagels, buttering both and then putting cream cheese on them. She also grabbed a donut for Nick and a blueberry muffin for herself. She put it all into a bag and made her way back out to the Tahoe.

~

"Where did you get all this?" Nick asked, taking the tray from her.

"Continental breakfast," Sara said plainly as she pulled out a bagel and handed it to Nick.

He smiled, "Sara Sidle I think I just fell in love with you."

"Well don't fall too hard yet," she teased as she pulled out a Boston crème donut.

Nick closed his eyes, "You are a goddess," he said, thanking her and accepting the food. He eyed the coffee.

"Two packs of sugar, no cream," Sara recited, taking hers out of the tray and sipping it.

Nick nodded, "That's my girl."

~

**A/N:** What do you think? Next chapter- Nick starts asking about Sara's past and ***gasp*** DUN DUN DUN… they reach Nick's home. Read and Review!


	3. Hullo, Momma, I'm Home!

Volume I: The Nascency

By:_ xKatx_

**Summary:** Sara was determined to get through the criminalistics conference feelings-free. They were staying with Nick's family, but Sara was determined not to get involved. It would bring her no where she wanted to be again…

**Author's Note:** OMG thank you all for the reviews! I am taking this slow so this story will evolve nicely! Hope you like the names and the personalities! lol

**Request:** Read and review!

**Rating:** PG-13

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"How many more hours?" Sara asked after she had woken up for the fifth time. The sun was just going down, the orange shining on Nick's face.

He looked over at her, "Well, we have got about 7 hours until we reach Dallas, if that's what you mean."

Sara rolled her eyes and slapped Nick's arm, "Of _course_ that's what I mean."

"Getting ansy?"

"No!"

"You're a bad liar, Sidle."

"Shut it, Stokes,"

"Oooh, Big Bad Sara Sidle is gonna hurt me."

"I will if you don't be quiet."

"I have no weaknesses, you can't hurt me."

Nick was cut off as Sara began tickling his sides. Now, considering they were in a car, Sara took it easy on him and immediately stopped when he said, "Uncle!"

"Very unsafe, Sidle," Nick said breathlessly, "Very unsafe."

Sara shook her head, "I could have made it _much _worse."

Before Nick could reply, a yawn threatened to dislocate his jaw. Sara immediately noticed.

"Do you want to switch off so you can sleep and we can get there?" She offered.

Nick looked over at her, and said, "If you don't mind driving for a few hours."

Sara raised an eyebrow, "Are you joking? At least it will give me something to do other than count the cactuses."

Nick laughed as he pulled off the road and got out, allowing Sara to climb into the driver's seat, and him into the passenger seat.

          "Now get some sleep," Sara said as she pulled back onto the interstate and Nick nodded, lowering the seat and closing his eyes.

_          Good,_ Sara thought, _now I can think_.

And she certainly had some things to think about. In less than seven hours, she would be meeting Nick Stokes' family. She remembered what she'd said to Catherine.

'Isn't meeting the family a bit much? You don't meet the family until you're engaged.'

Engaged? Me? Sara thought. She looked over at Nick, Yeah, frat boy/cowboy/jock over there. Why would he be interested in someone like me.

**Well,** a little voice nagged, **Catherine was a cheerleader/sorority type girl, and she ended up marrying Gil Grissom, scientist/bug geek extraordinare****.**

Well, they do say opposites attract, she thought to herself, but imagine if his family **hates** you.

**Well, that would make for a rather interesting vacation,** the little voice said.

~

Nick woke up noticing the car had stopped. He looked over and Sara was shaking his arm.

          "Nick," she said, "Nicky, wake up," she softly shook his arm.

He looked at her, running his hands over his face, "I'm awake."

          "Morning," she said with a grin, "We're at a rest stop."

          "Where?" Nick asked, thankful his usual morning grogginess was not present.

          "Thirty minutes outside Dallas," Sara said with a smile, "I figured you should be awake and behind the wheel when you drive home."

Nick smiled at her, "Thanks, Sara."

          "No problem," she said, returning his grin, "Now, I don't know about you, but I really have to get something to eat."

Nick nodded, "Sounds good to me."

They got out, and both went to the bathrooms. They met up and went to the refreshment room, which had every kind of candy, soda, and coffee machine imagineable. Nick got a coke and bag of Doritos, and Sara, who picked on him for his breakfast choices, decided on water and a bag of mini blueberry muffins.

The two climbed into the Tahoe, and Sara offered him a muffin. Nick accepted graciously and offered her a Dorito.

          "Are you crazy?" She asked playfully as she sat back in her seat and finished off her breakfast.

          "Well," Nick said as he finished his food, "I told you all about my family yesterday," he looked at Sara, "What about you?"

Sara froze. She had asked about his family, but didn't want the question to be reciprocated! What could she say? She didn't want him to know the truth. Then her entire reason for her fear of relationships would be out in the open, and he could use it against her.

          "There's nothing to say," she said, wishing it was as simple as she was making it sound.

          "That can't be true," Nick said, "All I know is you came from Tamales Bay, California. You couldn't have grown up there alone."

          "I didn't," Sara said, trying to avoid the real subject as much as possible.

          "Sara," Nick said, a soft tone to his voice as he looked at her, "Don't lie to me."

          "Nick, there is seriously nothing to say," she insisted, an edge creeping into her voice.

Nick looked at her for a long time, before deciding not to press the issue. Sara was a secretive person, and sometimes it drove him insane. She wouldn't give up any information past where she lived and what she did for a living, and that wasn't good enough for him. How could Nick become closer to her when she didn't trust him with her past?

          "Okay, Sara, okay, if you don't want to tell me, that's you're choice," he said, looking at her, "But when you're ready to tell me, I'll listen, Sara."

Sara didn't reply, but she instantly felt guilty. Nick had never given her a reason not to trust him, but she still couldn't bring herself to tell him.

          "Thank you, Nick," she said. 

The two were quiet until they saw it. 

          "That is the best part of the whole trip," he said, pointing to the sign.

"WELCOME TO DALLAS!"

~

          "Hey Craig!" Nick called as he waved out the window to a man working at an A&M shop. Nick took a left, driving down a long cobblestone driveway. Sara was blown away. This was where Nick grew up? She could see well over fifteen horses wandering around what seemed like acres upon acres of lush green land. Sara could see a large white barn with red shutters, and a matching house. It must have been three or four stories high, and was white with red shutters as well. The driveway curled into a circle in front of the long set of stairs leading to the wrap-around-porch.

          "Holy-" Sara said, not finishing the sentence. Nick pulled the Tahoe around in the driveway as people came pouring out of the house.

Nick shut off the engine, and put his hand on Sara's, "Don't worry, okay?"

Sara nodded as they exited the Tahoe.

          "Nicky!" An older woman said. She was wearing khaki pants with a white shirt and a matching khaki jacket over it. Her hair was short and curly, and had the same eyes as Nick.

          "Hullo, Mom," he said as the woman wrapped her arms around him.

          "Oh my baby! You're home!"

Nick looked at Sara and rolled his eyes a little bit. Sara stifled a laugh as Nick's mother released him.

          "Hey Dad," Nick said, shaking his dad's hand. Nick looked like a younger version of his dad. Had his father not had grayer hair and a mustache, they could have passed for twins. The older man pulled his youngest son into a hug.

          "It's good to have you home, boy," he said, a proud smile on his lips.

Nick nodded, "Hey Rob, hey Marie," he said, greeting the next couple. He hugged his brother and sister-in-law, smiling with happiness.

          "Welcome back, lil' bro," Rob said with a grin.

Nick nodded as he hugged Tucker and his wife Lauren. Sara could see Nick was happier than he'd probably ever been in Las Vegas. She almost died when his brother Daniel almost picked him up. Daniel's wife, Rachel, was a little more gentle.

          "Hey Ty," Nick said, greeting his other brother and his fianceè, Kimberly.

          "About time you got back," Ty said as he watched his brother hug his fianceè.

          Nick couldn't wipe the smile off his face as he hugged Cynthia, Grace, their husbands, Jack and Ben, and his two youngest sisters, Kayla and Christine.

          "Now where are all my nieces and nephews?" He asked, and like a storm, his seventeen nieces and nephews burst forth from their hiding places. Sara cracked up as  theall tackled him, muffled cries of "Uncle Nicky!" coming from various places in the pile of cousins, nieces, nephews, and uncle. The adults around them could barely contain their laughter as well.

When Nick finally made it back to his feet, he walked over to Sara, and announced, "This is my friend and colleague, Sara Sidle."

All at once, thirty people tried to hug her. Sara felt overwhelmed, but it was a good feeling. Nick couldn't help but grin at the priceless expression on Sara's face. He had had his doubts about her, but she was handling it like a pro.

~

**A/N:** What do you think? R&R! Next chapter – Sara becomes close with some of Nick's relatives, she meets the grandparents, AND the Stokes' start to ask Sara very personal questions ***gasp*** uhoh!


	4. Always Go For the Brunettes

Volume I: The Nascency

By:_ xKatx_

**Summary:** Sara was determined to get through the criminalistics conference feelings-free. They were staying with Nick's family, but Sara was determined not to get involved. It would bring her no where she wanted to be again…

**Author's Note:** Wow! I guess you guys like my story! LOL Big thanks to: _Laurashley, ljae, Dark Hornet, ll, PeTiTeCaT, o0MyToUrNiQuEt0o, MissyJane, heebiejeebie, Dolly, britt (thanks for pointint that out!) Jane, Mickey, ljae, krisnina77, pendray, and Jorja Fox!_

**Request:** Read and review!

**Rating:** PG-13

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          "Well," Marge Stokes said after everyone had finished hugging Sara, "we have breakfast all ready, unless you'd like lunch?"

Nick looked at Sara and shook his head, "We'll have breakfast, Mom."

          "All right, let's go!" Marge said, herding the children back into the house. 

Sara walked behind everyone else, and Kayla and Christine were immediately at her side.

          "So you're from Las Vegas?" The twenty year old Kayla asked excitedly.

Sara shook her head, "I'm originally from Tamales Bay, California. I've lived in Vegas for about three years."

          "Is it really all they say it is?" Twenty-one year old Christine asked.

Sara nodded, "Oh, everything and more."

Sara could hardly keep a straight face at the expressions of delight on the two girls' faces.

          "We've lived in Dallas since we were born," Kayla explained, "We've never been anywhere else."

          "Nicky's the first to leave Dallas," Christine said, "And he left a lot of things behind."

Sara's brow furrowed, and Kayla dropped her voice as they ascended the steps, "Old girlfriends, old football buddies, you get the idea."

Sara nodded, completely dreading the minute one of his ex-girlfriends walked into the room.

          "But don't worry," Christine said, "Some of these Southern Belles _do_ have attitude, but we'll look out for you until you're comfortable enough to."

Now Sara wasn't completely sure what they were offering, but whatever it was, it made her feel happy.

          "Thanks, Kayla, Christine," she said as they entered the kitchen.

Sara's jaw almost dropped right off of her head. It was _huge_! There was room for an island, one wall of counters and appliances, a large refrigerator, a walk-in pantry, _and_ a very long table with benches on either side. 

_          Of course it has to be big,_ she thought to herself, _look at how many people are in their family._ She eyed Tyler and Kimberly, _and I'm sure it's going to expand quickly._

Nick looked at her and offered her a seat on the bench between himself and Kayla. Sara gladly accepted, considering Nick, Kayla, and Christine were the only ones she felt remotely comfortable with.

          "Now, dear," Marge Stokes said as she walked over with a plate, "Nick already told me you're a vegetarian, so I took care of everything."

Sara smiled up at Nick's mom, who grinned back, "Thank you, Mrs, Stokes-"

          "Marge, dear," she corrected gently.

Sara nodded, "Marge, thank you."

          "My pleasure, dear," she said, as she moved on to pass out plates. Once everyone had gotten their plates, everyone bowed their heads as Nick's father said grace. Sara, not having experienced this before, just mimicked what Kayla and Nick did.

          "Amen," Ed Stokes said, and everyone dug in. Sara let out a sigh of relief when she saw wheat toast and a vegetarian omelet on her plate. Some of the things she saw piled on Nick's plate was enough to convince her he was a carnivore of epic proportions. 

          "You're a vegetarian?" Kayla asked quietly as Nick and the other men had louder conversations.

Sara nodded.

          "For how long?"

          "Five years."

          "Wow!"

Sara nodded again, a smile playing at her lips as she gracefully handled her knife and fork, silently praying the conversation wouldn't turn-

          "So, Sara," Ed Stokes said, "Where did you grow up?"

          _Turn to her._

Sara swallowed hard and cleared her throat, "Tamales Bay, California," she replied, thankful that her voice didn't display any of the nerves she was feeling at that moment.

          "Oh yes, right outside San Francisco, is that right?"

Sara nodded.

          "How is your family life?" Ed asked.

Sara couldn't open her mouth to speak. If she couldn't even tell Nick, her colleague and friend, how could she tell his family. Nick was looking at her, his eyes telling her, _You don't have to answer._

Luckily, Marge Stokes saw her discomfort and quickly changed the subject, "Sara, you work with Nick at LVCL, right?"

Sara turned to look at Nick's mother, "Um, yeah that's right."

          "So I assume you're a CSI as well?"

          "Yes, I am."

Sara didn't notice the look that Marge sent to her husband, explaining her change of subject.

          "Nicky, what was your area of expertise?" Cynthia asked as the family slowly got involved in the conversation.

          "Hair and fiber analysis," Nick replied, still working his way slowly through his breakfast.

          "What about you, Sara?" Jack, Cynthia's husband, asked.

          "Materials and element analysis," Sara replied, taking her time eating, considering every other bite she was answering a question.

          "Are you married?" Caleb, Nick's fifteen year old nephew asked.

Sara shook her head as they all finished their meal.

          "Well, all of you can go, Kayla, Christine and I will take care of this."

          "You don't have to help," Kayla quickly whispered, "Nick probably wants to introduce you to Gramps and Gram. When we're done, Christine and I will come rescue you."

Sara smiled her thanks as Nick got up. He held his hand out for Sara to take. She got off the bench, and quickly noticed Nick's hand was still loosely in hers.

          "Gramps, Gram," he said, walking into the sitting room. Sara let go of his hand, slightly uncomfortable but trying to shake the feeling off. Nick bent down next to a chair with an elderly man in it. However, Sara thought for an older man he was aging very well.   
          "Gramps, this is my friend, Sara," Nick said, motioning for Sara to come closer.

Sara walked forward and knelt down with Nick next to the older man. The man smiled.

          "Oh, hello my dear! My how young she is Nick," the man turned to his grandson, "She's not in high school, is she?"  
Nick and Sara both laughed, and Nick shook his head, "No, Gramps, she works with me in Vegas. We're down here for a conference."

          "Oh," Ed Stokes Sr. nodded in understanding, "Well, you are quite beautiful my dear."

          "Thank you, Mr. Stokes," Sara replied as she shook his outstretched hand. Nick smiled as he moved over to the elderly woman who was looking at a magazine.

          "Hi Gram," Nick said, kneeling down beside the woman, "This is my friend, Sara."

The woman looked up, and surprisingly enough, a smile lit up her face, "Oh Nicky, you're together?"

Sara couldn't help but fight the smile that threatened to show itself.

Nick laughed and shook his head, "No, Gram, she works with me and we're here to attend a conference."

          "Oh," the woman said, slightly disappointed, "Well, no rush."

Sara smiled at Nick as they both tried to keep from laughing at the comment. 

          "Sara," Kayla and Christine said as they walked in, "Want to go for a ride?"

Sara looked at them, "A ride on what?"

Nick stood up, looking at his sisters, "I'm going to bring Sara out on the horses later on this week, so anything but that, okay?"

          "Duh," Kayla said rolling her eyes, "Well," she looked at Christine, "We can always take out the four-wheelers."

          "Oh no," Sara said shaking her head, "There is no way you're getting me on one of those," she turned back to Nick, "_or_ one of those," she added, referring to the horses.  
Nick walked up to her, "Sara, for one, the four-wheelers are pretty much harmless. If you can drive a car, you can drive a four-wheeler. And the horses aren't going to bite unless you piss them off."

Kayla and Christine laughed, and Nick shot them a look, "You two keep it shut."

Sara laughed at the expression on his face. She turned back around to the girls and said, "Let's go.

~

          "So you and Nicky aren't dating or anything?" Kayla asked as she, Christine, and Sara sat on the rocks outlining the short of the lake on the North end of their property.

Sara shook her head.

          "Why not?" Christine asked, "You two seem like two peas in a pod."

          "More like two Chinese fighting fish," Sara replied, gaining laughs from the two younger girls, "I don't know. Nick and I come from two very different backgrounds and… genres."

          "What's so different?" Kayla asked quietly, "We saw the look on your face when Dad asked about your family. Obviously it wasn't all peaches and cream."

Sara paused, but shook her head, "No, no it wasn't."

          "Well, there's one difference," Christine said, as she slid down her rock and put her feet in the water, "Nicky's from a close family, and my guess is you're from a broken one?"

Sara's eyes widened at the accuracy of the guess, but nodded, "Yeah. Yeah I am."

          "Oh," Kayla said, "Man this must be weird for you then."

Sara shrugged, "A little bit."

          "Well, don't mind Cynthia – she's a snob," Christine said. Sara laughed and noticed Kayla was nodding. She stopped laughing so they could continue.

          "Rob is okay – a little condescending, but not bad. Tyler is a prankster – watch out for him. Kimberly laughs at _anything_, Tucker and Lauren are just … out there-"

          "Think Jessica Simpson," Kayla added, gaining a laugh from Sara.

          "Anyway," Christine continued, "Daniel is the friendliest, other than Nicky. Watch out for Cynthia's boys, Devon, Brian, Logan, and Tim. They like to team up with Tyler and play some seriously mean tricks."

Sara nodded as Christine and Kayla thought.

          "I think that's all we have to warn you about… definitely look out for Cynthia – unless she pulls the wool over our eyes and is nice to you."

Sara nodded again, tucking that piece of information away in the back of her mind.

          "Wanna head back?" Christine asked.

Sara and Kayla nodded as they pulled their helmets back on, started the engines, and took off on the four wheelers, headed back to the house.

~

The afternoon passed slowly – they all ate lunch together like before, only Sara suspected Nick had spoken to his mother and father, because no more questions were sent her way.

After lunch, the kids headed to the lake with Cynthia and Kimberly. Kayla and Christine were still in the house with their mother, Ed had headed out to play football with Robert, Tucker, Daniel, Jack, Tyler, Ben, and some of the neighbors that had shown up.

Sara was on the porch, looking over a forensics magazine she'd brought with her when Nick walked out in black, baggy basketball shorts and a sleeveless white Texas A&M shirt.

          "What are you doing?" Nick asked her. She shrugged and he shook his head.

          "What are _you_ doing?" Sara asked him, and he motioned to the football he was holding.

She nodded, "Have to prove that manly strength of yours."

Nick grinned, "Of course."

He was nearly pushed off the porch when Kayla and Christine burst out the door.

"Sara, want to play tennis with me, Christine, and Mom?"

Sara raised her eyebrow at Nick before putting the magazine down and said, "Sure."

~

Fifteen minutes later, the four girls were on the homemade tennis court, and the guys were about twenty feet away playing football. Sara hadn't played tennis since high school, and warned the others.

          "Don't worry," Kayla assured her, "We'll probably end up getting tackled by one of the guys."

          "So wait a second," Sara said as they were stretching, "I know Rob, Tucker, Daniel, Jack, Ed, Tyler, Ben, and Nick are playing, but who are those other people?"

          "Well," Marge said, "The one in black is Craig, he works down the street-" Sara smiled as she remembered Nick calling out to him as they pulled in, "-The one in orange is Ricky, he's one of Tyler's friends, the one in navy blue is Josh – the one Kayla's had her eye on."

Kayla blushed and the other three made noises like "Ohhhh Kayla!!"

          "You think he's cute?" Kayla asked Sara, and Sara shaded her eyes to get a better look.

          "He's blonde," was all she said. Marge, Christine, and Kayla all laughed.

          "What has hair color got to do with it?" Christine asked in between laughs.

Sara shrugged, "I'm more attracted to dark-haired men, that's all."

          "Dear, you're a woman after my own heart," Marge said as they paired off – Marge and Sara versus Kayla and Christine – "Always go for the brunettes!"

~

****

**A/N:** Aww how cute! Okay, so Sara is becoming close to Kayla and Christine, and the family asked her questions, _and_ she met the grandparents! All I promised, I did! Next chapter: the tennis match, the football game, the evening, and some people Nick didn't want to see arrive. ***Gasp*** UHOH!


	5. Go After Him, If You Want

Volume I: The Nascency

By:_ xKatx_

**Summary:** Sara was determined to get through the criminalistics conference feelings-free. They were staying with Nick's family, but Sara was determined not to get involved. It would bring her no where she wanted to be again…

**Author's Note:** Wow! I guess you guys like my story! LOL Big thanks to: _Laurashley, ljae, Dark Hornet, ll, PeTiTeCaT, o0MyToUrNiQuEt0o, MissyJane, heebiejeebie, Dolly, britt (thanks for pointint that out!) Jane, Mickey, ljae, krisnina77, pendray, and Jorja Fox!_

**Request:** Read and review!

**Rating:** PG-13

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

          "All right, Christine serves!" Kayla called, as Christine served, sending the ball to her mother's end of the court. Marge hit it back, the ball now soaring toward Kayla, who missed the ball by an inch. She groaned as the ball flew into the woods behind them.

It took some time, but Kayla returned with the ball and threw it to Sara, who served the ball. It flew toward Christine, who hit it toward her mother, who returned the ball with precision. This time, Kayla managed to hit it to Sara, who hit it back toward Christine. They continued to banter back and forth with the ball, laughing at each other when one of them missed the ball.

Twenty feet away, the men were playing a rather serious game of tackle football. Nick was playing quarterback for his team, Robert quarterback for his. Nick's team consisted of: himself, Craig, Josh, Tucker, and Jack. Rob's team consisted of: himself, Daniel, Ed, Tyler, Ben, Ricky, who had agreed to play kicker for both teams so it would be fair. 

          "HUT!" Nick yelled and the teams collided as Nick searched for someone to throw the ball to. He noticed Tucker was wide open to his right. He threw the ball two seconds before Daniel tackled him. 

The girls had been stopped due to a lost ball, and walked to the edge of the court and watched as Nick passed the ball to his brother before getting tackled. The women watched as Tucker caught the ball and seemed to fly down the field to their endzone. Tucker threw down the ball and began to dance wildly. Everyone cheered as Tucker ran the ball back to where the teams stood. The women clapped as the men bowed and went back to their game.

Sara could not contain her laughter, "Is this what you do every day?"

          "Well, considering it's October, we generally only do this on weekends, since the kids are in school," Marge informed her as they began their game up again.

For some odd reason, Sara could hardly keep her concentration on her game considering her eyes continued to drift to Nick. Was it just the heat, or did he look _extremely _good playing football? After nearly being hit with the tennis ball due to her lack of attention, she decided to stop thinking about Nick and concentrate on beating Christine and Kayla.

~

In the end, Marge and Sara won with flying colors – but no one had hard feelings. As it turned out, Nick's team won as well, due to an interception that Rob threw. 

Dinner that night was an excited, electric affair. The seventeen children were excited over their trip to the lake, and the adults were happily chattering about their games.

          "Well," Cynthia had said after hearing of Sara and Marge's victory, "You won't have such luck when you play me and Grace."

Nick, Kayla, Christine, Jack and Marge, who had heard this comment, all shot her looks that clearly told her to lose the superior attitude. Sara, however, did nothing.

After the large pasta and steak dinner (in which Sara had fish as a replacement), Sara pitched in with Kayla, Christine, and Marge to clean up the kitchen while everyone else retired to the porch. Kayla and Christine couldn't help but exchange looks about Sara and Nick that said more than a thousand words could. They, however, never mentioned what they were thinking.

After the kitchen was cleaned and the lights shut off, the kids ran out into the front yard to play kick-the-can while the adults watched from the porch. Sara sat on the floor of the porch with her knees pulled up, listening to the conversations between the adults. 

Nick was leaning against the banister of the porch next to her, and she was suddenly very glad they were friends. If they had only been acquaintances, things would have been much more uncomfortable.

Cynthia looked at her watch and then at her husband, "It's seven-thirty, we should get the kids home for school tomorrow."

          "Yes, I'll get them," Jack said as he got up and shook hands with everyone before going to round up his children.

          "Goodnight, Mom, Dad," she said as she hugged her mother and father goodnight. She hugged her other siblings, Nick being the last one. And then she left, without so much as a, "Nice to meet you" to Sara.

Sara noticed, but said nothing. The Stokes', however, were shocked speechless.

Nothing was said until Cynthia, Jack, Devon, Brian, Logan, and Tim were in their minivan and heading down the driveway.

          "Well," Marge said, "I'll be sure to have a word with _that_ one."

          "She was always the snobby one," Tyler said as he stood and said goodbye to everyone (including Sara) as he and Kimberly made their way to his Lexus.

          In a matter of minutes, Daniel and his family, Grace and her family, and Tucker and his family left the Stokes farm. Soon it was only Kayla, Christine, Nick, Sara, Marge, and Ed. 

But it wouldn't stay that way for long.

~

          "Now who could that be?" Marge asked as they saw a pick-up truck driving down their driveway with about three people in the bed of the truck yelling, "WELCOME BACK NICK!"

          "Oh _no_," Nick said as he pushed off the railing. Sara was quickly to her feet as the truck pulled up, and two girls jumped out of the cab and three guys out of the back.

          "Nicko!" His buddies called as they hugged him and greeted his parents.

Nick smiled as his buddies hugged him. It was good to see his old high school friends again, and he couldn't get the smile off his face. His friends even greeted Sara with the same warmth and excited spirit as they had with Nick.

But Nick's smile left his face when he saw the other two. One was Maile Reynolds – his buddy Jeff's girlfriend. But the other..

          "Hi, Nicky," the blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl said.

          "Vanessa," he said, a cool edge to his voice. Sara could tell he was not happy; his eyes seemed to pierce through anything they focused on. His body had gone rigid and his face was pulled into a serious expression that didn't fit him.

          "Who is Vanessa?" Sara whispered to Kayla, who had moved a little ways away from the group.

          "Well, Vanessa and Nicky were…engaged."

          "WHAT?!" Sara whispered, looking shocked.

Kayla nodded, "Nicky asked her to marry him, and she said yes. But then she ran off with his best friend, Teddy. When they returned, Nicky was packing to head to Vegas. He broke Teddy's jaw and told Vanessa to never come back. I'm surprised she had the nerve to show her face here again, after what she did to Nicky."

          "Yes," Sara said, "It would take a lot of nerve to do that."

Sara watched Nick carefully, and his parents as well. All of their expressions were rather tight and expressionless. Sara saw Vanessa's expression and it almost made her sick. Vanessa looked at Nick like a wild animal looks at its prey. Something inside Sara made her want to protect him.

_          Are you crazy? He's a big guy – he doesn't need **you** to protect him! _She thought to herself as his friend, Jeff, said that they had just wanted to stop by and see Nick before they went off to Houston for a rodeo show.

          "We also came by to see if you wanted to come," Maile said, eyeing Sara warily.

Nick shook his head and looked at Sara, "We have to go to conferences next week."

          "We'll be back before then," Vanessa said, acting as if he hadn't mentioned Sara.

Nick turned cold eyes on her, "We have to go to conferences _and_ we came to see the family."

          "Are you two dating?" Maile asked as if it was the most unheard of thing in the world.

          "No, we're colleagues," Nick said, his voice turning cool toward Maile as well. 

          "Well, if you change your mind, we're leaving day after tomorrow," Maile said.

          "Bye, Nicko," his buddies said as they climbed into the bed of the truck.

          "Bye Nicky," Maile said, climbing into the driver's seat.

Vanessa gave him one last look before climbing in too.

Nick turned back to his family and gave them one look before shaking his head and walking down the stairs, headed toward the lake.

          "Go after him, if you want," Kayla said. 

Sara quickly debated the choices in her mind. Finally, she realized that Nick had always been there for her. It was her turn to be there for him.

She nodded and looked at Marge and Ed before following behind Nick.

~

**A/N:** Who could do that to Nick?! Not me, that's for sure! Next chapter – Sara follows Nick and they have a heart to heart at the lake. Will she finally give him the benefit of the doubt and let him be part of her life? R&R!


	6. I'm Waiting For The Right Moment

**Volume I: The Nascency**

**By: **_xKatx_

**Summary:** Sara was determined to get through the criminalistics conference feelings-free. They were staying with Nick's family, but Sara was determined not to get involved. It would bring her no where she wanted to be again…

**Author's Note**: Oh my gosh, you guys really love my story! LOL I can't thank everyone cause it would take _way too long_ but all of you rock for your reviews and thank _God_ I have had three snow days! It may slow down after I get back to school, but I will try my best to keep this updated quickly. I luv u guys tons!! ***tears of happiness***

**Request:** Read and review!

**Rating:** PG-13

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Sara walked to the North end of the property, where the edge of the lake was. As she neared, she could see Nick's form on one of the rocks. She neared him, making noise with her feet on the ground so as not to scare him. She came close, standing a few feet behind him. She didn't say anything, but prayed for help in talking to him.

          "That's one thing I should have warned you about," he said, sarcastic laughter creeping into his voice. Sara didn't like the way he sounded. He sounded cold and heartless. It didn't suit him.

          "Kayla told me," Sara said quietly, moving closer.

Nick shook his head, before turning pain-filled eyes on her, "I asked her to _marry me._ I was ready to spend the rest of my _life_ with her."

Sara moved closer, sitting down on the same rock, placing her hand on his shoulder.

          "And then, not even a month after I proposed, she ran off. With my best friend!"

Nick's fist tightened, but Sara placed her other hand over his fist, hoping it would calm him down.

It did.

          "Nick," she said, turning his head to her, "It was not your fault that she did that. As far as first impressions go, Vanessa seems like the girl who would marry a guy and then murder him for money."

This brought some signs of laughter to Nick's face as he looked back out to the lake.

          "Nicky, if she did that to you, then it was a good thing. It sounds crazy, but it was a good thing. Because you found out what kind of person she really is _before_ you married her."

Nick nodded before turning grateful eyes on Sara, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

Sara shook her head, "There was no reason to tell me. You didn't think she would show up, and she did. So I found out from Kayla. No harm done, considering I haven't told you a lot of things either."

Nick looked at her, "Don't tell me you've been divorced and have two kids staying with Cath back in Vegas?"

          "No," Sara said, a smile on her face, "You wanted to know about… my family, right?"

Nick turned interested eyes on Sara, who's back was to the water, her face in complete view, "Yeah, but Sara don't feel pressured to tell me."

Sara nodded, "I know. But Nicky, you trusted me enough to talk about Vanessa. And I trust you too, Nicky, so it's only fair."

Nick nodded, "All right."

Sara let out a long breath and looked toward the water, "My dad had always said that his wife and two daughters were the only ladies in his life. His 'Three Musketeers,'" Sara sighed, "But then he left my mom when I was thirteen. He ran off to San Bernadina and married a woman named Angelica Cartwright. My mom back in Tamales Bay, never remarried. My sister and I think it was because my dad broke her heart."

          "What was your sister's name?" Nick asked quietly, his hand now holding hers.

Sara looked at him, "Haylie."

Nick nodded as she continued, "You'd think it wouldn't get much worse than that. But then it turned out Haylie and I had to go visit them for three weeks every summer. Unknown to us, Angelica had brought two girls and a boy into the marriage. James was thirteen, like me, and Myra was fifteen, like Haylie. We all got along together – we hardly fought. But Stephanie… she was the oldest girl. She was seventeen, and she made our lives a living hell."

          "How?" Nick asked gently, entwining their fingers. Sara was inwardly giddy at the simple act, but continued.

          "She would hide our things, or throw them away. Sometimes she and Angelica would hit us. Most of the time it was just for fun for them, but most of the time it really hurt. Stephanie would taunt us about how our mother had bored our father so bad that he had to find a real woman. She would tell us that our father didn't love us enough to see us for more than three weeks. But worst of all, she would tell us we were cursed to go the same way our mother did: marry, and then be left by the man for another woman."

Suddenly all of Sara's insecurities made sense in Nick's mind. She had been mentally, emotionally, and physically abused every summer since she was thirteen. No wonder she was wary about becoming involved with anyone. Her stepsister had planted these negative prophecies in her mind for years! Nick felt sick to his stomach at the thought of someone doing that and enjoying it.

          "Oh Sara," he said. Sara felt tears come to her eyes as she looked out to the water.

          "Stephanie blamed us when my mother died," Sara said, "We were at the funeral, and she told us that we had caused our father to leave, which caused our mother to be heartbroken. It was our fault that our mother wasn't alive now. I can still hear her voice, 'If only you had helped your mother get over him. She couldn't grasp reality that she wasn't good enough, and neither can you!'"

The tears that had threatened to spill over now did so. Nick pulled her close and held her as she freed the tears that she'd held in for twenty years. She cried for every single thing that had hurt her in her life, and she clung to Nick for dear life. Nick rubbed her back as she cried, very glad that Vanessa had showed up so Sara could talk to him.

          "I feel so bad," Sara said as she looked up at Nick, "This was about you, and now it's all about me."

Nick laughed as he hugged her again, smoothing her hair and whispering to her, "Mine wasn't nearly as bad as yours. I'm glad I was here to help you."

          "Me too," she agreed, hugging him tightly. She pulled back and looked at him with a smile.

          "Does anyone else know?" Nick asked her.

She nodded, "Catherine."

Nick grinned, "Same here. I think we all tell Catherine these things."

          "I didn't tell her everything," Sara said, "No details."

Nick nodded as he looked at her, "I'm sorry that this happened to you, Sara."

Sara nodded, "I'm sorry that that happened to _you, Nick."_

Nick grinned as Sara hugged him one more time before they headed back to the ranch, both emotionally exhausted.

~

          "That poor dear," Marge said as she, Nick, and her husband sat around the kitchen table long after everyone had gone to bed, "This happened every year until she moved out?"

Nick nodded.

          "That makes me sick," Ed replied, "No wonder she looked so uncomfortable being around the family."

          "Oh, imagine how the way Cynthia acted might have brought back those memories!" Marge said, getting up for the coffee pot.

          "I thought of that too," Nick admitted, shaking his head at the revelations he had made that night.

          "Nicky," Marge said, "I was talking to Robert and Tyler today… and…"

          "And I talked to Gram and Gramps," Ed added, "And…"

          "And what?" Nick asked, looking at his parents with a confused expression evident on his face.

          "We think you should marry her," Ed and Marge said at the same time.

Nick nearly spit out his coffee, "What?"

          "We think you should marry Sara," Marge clarified with a smile.

Nick tried to deny any idea, but his face showed everything he was thinking.

          "See? Nicky, you love her," Ed said, "It seems evident to everyone _except you and Sara."_

Nick shook his head, "I'm waiting for the right moment."

Ed and Marge looked at each other before looking at him, "The right moment for what?"

Nick stood and smiled at his parents, "To tell her I love her."

~

**A/N:** Rather short, but a lot happened in this chapter! NEXT CHAPTER – a basketball game in which Nick and Sara learn a couple things PLUS: Sara, Kayla and Christine go to a spa for Christine's twenty-second birthday, AND one of the sisters (*hint*hint*) tells Sara to "GET OUT!" uhoh… wonder who it is!!


	7. I Think It's Time We Had A Little Chat

Volume I: The Nascency

By:_ xKatx_

**Summary:** Sara was determined to get through the criminalistics conference feelings-free. They were staying with Nick's family, but Sara was determined not to get involved. It would bring her no where she wanted to be again…

**Author's Note:** I love you guys so much! I'm so grateful that you guys like my story and you like my writing! I love writing these stories and I want to thank _all of you reading this right now!!! :-D_

**Request:** Read and review!

**Rating:** PG-13

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

          "All right, who's up for a game of basketball?" Robert asked the next morning, producing a basketball from under the table.

Sara immediately raised her hand, along with Nick, Kayla, Christine, Grace, Kimberly, Tyler (who had a day off of work and had brought Kim over), and Ed.

They trooped outside to the basketball hoop at the corner of the driveway. They divided into teams (Team Texas: Nick, Ed, Grace, and Kimberly) (Team Vegas: Kayla, Christine, Sara, and Tyler) and began to play. On several occasions, Sara found herself guarding Nick, which was not an easy feat because on minute he was here and the next minute he had the ball and was shooting a three. Tyler at 6' jammed a couple for Team Vegas, and Nick got a fair share for his team.

It was nearing the end of the game and Sara found herself with the ball. Kayla and Christine were both being guarded, so she couldn't pass to them.

          "Go for it!" Kayla yelled. Sara dribbled down, preparing for a lay-up when she felt someone grab her arms.

          "Oh no no no, you're not going to beat us," Nick said as he held her back.

Sara began laughing as she tried to wiggle free, "Oh yes we will if you let me go!"

          "Never!" Nick said as he held her close to himself, trying to keep her from shooting. She fought long enough to get a good position under the basket and shot.

Everyone stopped to watch as the ball spun around the rim and fell through the basket.

          "WE WON! WE WON!" Kayla and Christine yelled as they moved away from their guards and ran to Sara, hugging her. Tyler hugged the group as well, as the other team hugged each other for their good efforts.

          "Nice game," Ed said as he hugged the other team, hugging Sara especially tight. Sara was a little confused by it, but said nothing against it.

Nick hugged Sara and whispered, "Next game you're going down."

Sara smiled and pinched his cheek, "You keep dreaming, Nicky!"

          "Sara," Kayla said, looking at her watch, "We have fifteen minutes to get to the spa.

          "Spa?" Nick asked, and Sara shrugged.

          "We're going to a spa?" Sara asked.

Kayla and Christine nodded and grabbed Sara's arms, "Bye Nicky!"

Sara shot Nick a look that clearly said, 'HELP!' But Nick shook his head and waved goodbye to her.

~

Twenty minutes later, Sara, Kayla, and Christine were stripping down to their bathing suits as a woman brought goggles and tanning solution.

          "Oh no," Sara said when she saw the tanning beds, "There is no way on God's green Earth I'm getting in that bed."

          "Oh come _on_, Sara!" Kayla pleaded.

Sara shook her head, "Do you have any idea what those things do to you?"

          "Just this once!" Christine added, "It's my _birthday_, Sara!" Sara looked at the two before rolling her eyes.

          "All right, all right, just once."

They girls climbed in and nearly fell asleep as the simulated UV rays tanned their bodies.

When they climbed out, Sara shook her head, "You guys are crazy!"

All Kayla and Christine did is shake their heads and laugh.

Two hours later the girls emerged from the spa with facialed faces, tanned bodies and their nails done. Sara felt clean and happy, but also remembered this probably wouldn't last for long, considering all the sports they took part in.

They returned to the ranch to find everyone preparing for lunch. The three girls joined them, not expecting anything out of the ordinary to happen.

But when the lunch dishes were cleared, Marge produced a _huge_ cake as they began singing, "Happy Birthday," to Christine. Christine smiled happily as she made a wish and blew out the candles.

          "I hope you wished for the present we brought," Marge said, as a young man in a Marines uniform walked into the room.

          "Oh my Lord!" Christine cried as she jumped up and wrapped her arms around the Marines' neck. He hugged her back tightly as they shared a kiss.

          "Who is that?" Sara asked Kayla, not being able to wipe the smile off of her face.  
          "Jared Wilkinson," Kayla replied, "Christine's boyfriend. He left for the Marines four years ago and things kind of ended. But wow, - I didn't expect him to come back!"

          "She looks so happy," Sara said with a smile as Christine refused to let go of her long-lost Marine.

          "No kidding," Kayla agreed as Christine finally stopped hugging him and let him shake hands around the table.

          "I don't believe we've met, I'm Jared Wilkinson," he said when he shook Sara's hand.

          "Sara Sidle," she replied.

          "Sara and I are here for a conference – she's a colleague of mine," Nick informed Jared as he shook his hand.

          "Oh, nice to meet you!" Jared said, a smile spreading over his face at the mention of a fellow government worker.

Sara noticed he had buzz-cut dirty blonde hair, and clear blue eyes. He had a square jaw with a nice smile, and he filled out his uniform nicely, but Sara looked at Nick, who smiled at her, and she immediately decided Nick was much better looking.

          "Pleasure is all mine," Sara insisted.

          "Jared, will you be staying with us?" Marge asked.

          "Oh, I don't want to intrude," Jared said, turning back to Marge.

          "Don't be silly, it wouldn't be an intrusion at all. Now let's see… what rooms are left?"

          "Marge, Robert and the kids are staying here tonight, remember?" Ed reminded his wife.

          "Oh yes that's right," Marge said, "Nicky, would you mind sharing with someone so Jared can have that room?"

          "Of course not," Nick said, "Where do you want to put me?"

Marge exchanged a look with Ed before replying, "Well, we could always have Sara and Nick in the bay room."

~

          "You don't snore, do you, Nicky?" Sara asked that night as she prepared to go to bed.

Nick laughed, "As far as I know, I don't."

          "Good," she said, pulling down the covers on one side of the king bed, "Because if you did, I might have had to kick you out."

Nick laughed again as he climbed on the other side of the bed. Sara had just laid down when her cell phone went off.

          "That may be of the guys," Sara said as she got out and went in search of her phone. She found it and answered.

          "Hello?"

          "Hey girl."

          "Warrick? Oh my God! It's so good to hear your voice."

Warrick laughed, "It's good to hear yours too. I've got a case here and I wanted your opinion on it."

          "Oh, not Nicky's?"

Warrick laughed again, "No, I don't think so. Listen, I solved that arson case, but now I'm on a murder. I found a shirt that belonged to the same guy we nailed for arson, but he was in custody the day we think the murder occurred. What do you think?"

          "Was the victim related to the suspect?"

          "Girlfriend."

          "Yikes. Anyway, umm.. is there a possibility someone planted it? Or did he have a twin or another brother about the same size he could have asked to do it for him?"

          "Maybe. That's another thing to check out. Thanks, Sar. I've been on this for two days and I just could not figure out anything. Are you guys having fun?"

          "Definitely. But we only have like.. three days until conferences start."

          "Ha! Hope you guys have fun with those."

          "Yeah right. How's Cath doing?"

          "Greg and Grissom are watching her like hawks. If that little bundle of joy even kicks her once, they insist on rushing her to the hospital."

Sara laughed as she paused to repeat what Warrick said to Nick, "Well, it's Grissom's first child, what do you expect?"

          "Well yeah, that explains Griss, but what's with Greg?"

          "Has Greg ever been around a pregnant woman before?"

          "Probably not, that could be the reason."

          "Definitely."

          "Well, Griss, Cath, Greg and Archie say hi, I'll let you two lovebirds get to sleep."

          "You two _what?_"

          "HAHA Got ya!"  
Sara made a noise, "Warrick you're in for it!"

Warrick laughed, "Bye, Sara."

          "Bye, War."

Sara hung up the phone and looked at Nick, "Warrick said Griss and Greg are watching over Catherine like hawks."

Nick laughed as Sara put her phone back in her bag and climbed into her side of the bed.

          "Goodnight, Nicky," she said.

          "Goodnight, Sar," he replied.

~

Nick awoke at five-thirty that morning and realized his arm was over Sara's waist. How they had gotten into that position, he would never know, but the feeling of holding her like that made him content. That was a protective stance – his arm protected her from everything bad in the world.

Nick shook his head, shaking the dream from his mind as he got out of bed and made his way to the private bathroom for that room. He showered quickly, re-entering the room to find Sara still asleep. He couldn't help but smile at the innocence on her face as she slept. He felt blessed to have her in his life, even if she didn't know how he felt. He dressed in khaki shorts (even though for guys, their shorts hit their knee or below) and a white shirt that said, "DALLAS COWBOYS" across the chest. He pulled on his black sneakers and walked downstairs to find his mother, Kayla, Christine, and Jared all at the table. He figured his father was in the shower, or out feeding the horses.

          "Morning, Nicky," They all chorused. He nodded his reply as he got his coffee.

          "Are you going to bring Sara out on the horses today?" His mother asked as she continued to fry her famous blueberry pancakes. He nodded his acquiescence as he sat down at the table and proceeded to polish off his first cup of coffee.

          "So, Nicky, is there anything blossoming between you and Sara?" Kayla asked. Christine and Jared immediately paid attention.

Nick shook his head, "Why?"

          "Well, Nicky, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see you love her," Christine said with a grin.

Nick shook his head, "How come everyone sees it except her?"

~

Breakfast was a quick affair, considering Jared, Ed, Jack, Ben, Tyler, Rob, and Nick were going golfing and the girls were going to stay and bake. Before the guys left, Nick pulled Sara aside and promised to take her riding at sunset. Sara agreed and said goodbye to him with a hug.

Unknown to everyone, she was beginning to feel a lot more than just friendship toward him. However, after seeing Vanessa, she was nearly convinced he would never go for her.

Sara sat in the kitchen with Marge, Kayla, Christine, Grace, Cynthia, Marie, and Kimberly after the boys left. Sara was in charge of kneading the dough, which was one thing she didn't think she could possibly screw up.

          "So, Sara…" Kayla whispered as the other women talked, "Anything going on between you and Nicky?"

          "What are you talking about, Kayla?" Sara asked looking at her strangely.

          "Come on, Sara. We see the way you look at him."

          "Yeah," Christine added, "Come on, tell us!"

Sara sighed, "Tell you what?"

          "Do you like Nick?"

Sara nearly burst out laughing, but held it in.

          "Isn't that a bit high-school-ish?"

Kayla rolled her eyes, "You know what we mean."

          "You know, I really… haven't organized my thoughts about that yet," Sara replied, partly lying considering she thought about it a a lot.

          "Well, when you do, we're here to talk, okay?"

Sara nodded as they rejoined the overall conversation of Cynthia complaining about Jack's lack of a promotion in two years.

          "He works harder than half of those blockheads, and he hasn't had a raise _or_ a promotion in two years!"

          "Cynthia, are you struggling for money?" Marge asked.

Cynthia raised her eyebrow but shook her head.

          "Then shut up and stop complaining," Christine said, glaring at her sister. Cynthia scoffed and turned back to the refrigerator in search of eggs.

          "Sara, would you mind bringing these out to the grill?" Marge said, "We're running out of room in the refrigerator for the dough."

          Sara nodded as Marge handed her some hamburger patties. Sara walked out the side door to the grill. She put them on the counter and turned back toward the door to find…

          "I think it's time we have a little… chat."

~

**A/N:** Who is it?! I dunno! Wait until next chapter to find out!! :-D I luv u guys for reading! I live off your compliments and suggestions – just don't be too mean ***tear*** I'm quite sensitive :-P lol


	8. What Happened Here?

Volume I: The Nascency

By:_ xKatx_

**Summary:** Sara was determined to get through the criminalistics conference feelings-free. They were staying with Nick's family, but Sara was determined not to get involved. It would bring her no where she wanted to be again…

**Author's Note:** Your encouragement is what keeps me going! This may close up soon… right now I'm thinking maybe twelve or thirteen chapters… but hey length doesn't matter if the story is good, right? Besides, I may get a great idea and go for twenty more chapters, who knows LOL keep reading!__

**Request:** Read and review!

**Rating:** PG-13

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"What about?" Sara asked, looking at her warily.

Cynthia stepped forward a few steps, "Listen, Nick has been hurt by city girls before. Vanessa lived in downtown Dallas, and she left Nicky for his best friend. He _proposed_ to her, and she left him."

          "I have discussed that with Nick," Sara replied, "The day she came back."

          "That's all fine and good," Cynthia said, "But you see, the problem I have, and the problem everyone in this family has is you're from Vegas – _you're a city girl. And city girls don't go well with country boys. So what I'm telling you is – get out. Leave now before you hurt him."_

          "Well, Cynthia," Sara said, her patience running thing, "You see, you're quite mistaken in many areas. One, I'm not a city girl – I've only lived in Vegas three years, and I grew up in a _suburb_ of San Francisco. Until I was thirteen, I had never _been to a big city. Two – I can't leave. I was sent by _mine and Nick's boss_ to attend a conference that just happens to be in Dallas. If I left, I would be going against orders. And three – if you think I would intentionally or even _un_intentionally hurt Nick, you obviously haven't taken the time to see who I am."_

Cynthia's glare was like ice, "But you see, there is still the simple problem that you don't fit in here. My entire family wants you out, and they asked _me_ to do the honors of telling you. Why do you think Nick left with the guys? If he wanted you here, he would have stayed and taken you on the horses right now. You need to get out of our house before dinner."

And with that, Cynthia left Sara fuming outside.

~

          "Sara, what in the world are you doing?" Kayla asked when she ascended the stairs to find Sara in her room packing.

          "I just had a nice little conversation with Cynthia and she told me your entire family wants be out of this house before dinner."

          "She **_WHAT?!_**" Kayla exclaimed. She took Sara's hand and she made her stop packing, "Don't touch these things again. We're going to settle this once and for all."

Kayla pulled Sara down the stairs and to the kitchen.

          "Cynthia, you _bitch_," Kayla said as they entered the room.

          "Hey," Marge said, looking alarmed, "What is going on here?"

          "Why don't you ask _Cynthia_," Kayla fumed, her blue eyes piercing through her sister.

          "Cynthia, what is going on?" Marge asked.

Cynthia looked at her mother, "I have no idea what Kayla is talking about."

          "Oh, I think you do," Kayla said, "What, don't have the nerve to tell our mother that you told our guest to get out of the house by dinner because none of us want her here?"

Marge's hand went to her mouth and her eyes widened, "Cynthia, did you say this?"

Cynthia glared at her sister, Sara, and then her mother, "Yes. I did."

          "Why in the _hell_ would you do something like that?" Christine asked, standing behind Sara and Kayla.

          "Because Grace, myself, Jack, and Tyler do not want her here!"

Kayla stepped closer to her sister, "Who the hell cares what you want? None of you live here!"

Christine looked smugly at her sister, "She's got you there, _sister dear_."

          "Mom didn't want her here either," Cynthia said angrily.

          "Cynthia Annabelle Stokes Edmunds, how dare you put words in my mouth that were never there?" Marge demanded, glaring at her oldest daughter, "If you don't like Sara, you say that _you_ don't like her, and then give us a logical reason."

          "I don't like Sara because she is going to hurt Nicky just like Vanessa did!" Cynthia screamed, tears coming to her anger-filled eyes.

          "What makes you think I would hurt Nick? He's one of my best friends and a colleague – why would I hurt him if he never did anything but treat me with respect and kindness?" Sara protested, stepping between Kayla and Christine, "All I've done is treat all of you with the gratitude I feel for allowing me to stay here while on this trip for work, and you think I am here to destroy your relationships with Nick? I'm sorry if he has been with women before that have done that, but I'm not planning on doing anything but being here for Nick when he needs my friendship!"

Cynthia burst into tears and collapsed to the floor, sobs wracking her body. Kayla and Christine looked infuriated, Grace and Kimberly looked shocked, and Marie was speechless. Marge knelt down next to Cynthia and put her hand on her shoulder.

          "Dear, what is really going on?" Marge said trying to comfort her daughter and keep her other daughters from attacking Cynthia.

Cynthia sniffed and looked up, "Nicky loves her, Mom. He's fallen so far I can hardly stand it. I'm scared for him, Mom. I don't want her to hurt him."

Sara, luckily, hadn't heard due to the fact that she was trying to calm Kayla and Christine down.   
          "I don't know _what_ came over her, Sara, but we do _not_ feel that way about you," Christine assured her.

Sara nodded, "I know, Chris, I know."

          "We're sorry she did that to you, Sara," Kayla added, taking deep breaths to try and calm herself down. Sara nodded as she knelt down beside Cynthia.

          "I'm sorry if you misunderstood what I was here for," Sara said to the woman on the floor, "But I'm not here to tear Nick away from his family or to hurt him."

Cynthia nodded, but said nothing. Marge helped Cynthia up and led her to the study to rest.

Sara ran a hand through her hair and let out a breath. What a mess! All she had wanted was to go to the conference – she hadn't even been entirely comfortable with the idea of staying with Nick's family, but had given in after Grissom had talked her into it. Now she was becoming a nuisance to their family.

_          Oh well_, she thought, _in two days the conference will start, and I won't be here all day every day_. 

With that reassuring thought, she felt ready to face the men again.

Marge returned, hugging Sara and apologizing for Cynthia's actions. Sara assured her it was all right, but she ate dinner with the family that night with a chip on her shoulder – a big one.

~

          "Ready to go, Sara?" Nick asked after the dinner dishes had been cleared.  
          "Yeah," she agreed, eyeing Cynthia slightly before leaving the house and following Nick to the stables.

          "Have you ever ridden before?" Nick asked. Sara laughed in reply.

          "Are you joking? No way."

Nick smiled, "Well then, lesson number one – how to climb on."

Nick explained most of the process of riding while he put the saddles on both of the horses. After all the tack was on, Nick helped her onto the saddle. Sara nearly laughed when he put his hands on her waist (her ticklish spot) and helped her onto the horse.

Nick swung himself up and  they headed out. They talked about a broad range of subjects as the two rode along. Sara explained what had happened with Cynthia as they reached the stables an hour later. Nick helped her down and Sara made the mistake of looking into his eyes.

          _Look away,_ she willed herself, but his amber brown eyes were too much. She could see every feeling he had at that moment in his eyes.

          "Sara," he said quietly, his hands still on her waist, "What Vanessa did…"

          "Nick," she replied, "I would never do that to you. Never."

          "I know," he whispered, his hand going up to her face. He looked into her eyes and saw it.

          "Why are you scared of me, Sara?" He asked, his thumb caressing her face.

Sara was going to answer, but she stepped away, "Nick, the last man I trusted left me. He left for another family. I can't let that happen again."

          "Sara," Nick started, but he heard his mother calling them from the house.

          "We'd better get back," Sara said, turning toward the stable door.

          "Sara," Nick said, silently begging her not to leave.

          "I'm sorry," she replied, before leaving.

~

          "I was so close, Haylie," Sara said into the phone the next afternoon, "He cares – I could see it. But I walked away!"

          "Sara, it's completely understandable," Haylie soothed her younger sister, "When Zach first showed me he cared about me, I ran too."

          "But he chased you, Haylie," Sara said, "He wouldn't let you go."

          "And if Nick is the man he sounds like, he'll do the same," Haylie replied, "Sara I think you need to come to terms that Dad was an alcoholic and he screwed up. But Nick doesn't seem like that, does he?"

          "No, not at all," Sara said, looking out over the lake where Cynthia's boys, Kayla, Christine, and Marie were playing. Cynthia was walking  toward the bathrooms they had built near the lake, Kayla, Christine, Jared and Marie were playing volleyball, and the four boys were in the water.

          "Well then, I think you need to get rid of the demons," Haylie said, "Not all men are like Dad was, Sara. You have to take a chance."

          "You're right," Sara relented, "He's never given me any reason not to care for him."

          "Do you?" Haylie asked.

Sara sighed and paused, "I don't know. Mayb…-uh, it's complicated."

          "Well then _un_complicate it!" Haylie said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Sara laughed, "You're right again, Haylie. Listen, I should go – I'm going to use up all my cell phone minutes and then I'll be in trouble!"

Haylie laughed and said, "All right. I love you a million bubblegum sticks."

          "I love you a million Tootsie Roll pops," Sara replied, "Tell that little cute Kaelyn I said hi. Zach too."

          "I will. Bye."

          "Bye."

Sara hung up the cell phone and flipped it down. She put it back into her bag and looked out over the lake. 

          "HELP!" a voice called.

Sara perked up and looked out over the water. She quickly saw that Brian, Cynthia's second oldest son, was flailing around in the water. He was too far out, she knew that. She quickly dived into the water and swam out to where he was. She looked up from the water and saw he was no longer in view. She took a deep breath and dove down, looking for some sign of the young boy.

She saw his form floating in the water, and grabbed his arm, pulling him to the surface.

She saw the adults running toward the shore, telling the other boys to get out of the water. Sara pulled the young boy to shore, telling every to back away. 

          "Oh my god," Kayla cried as she saw the Brian's chest, "He's not breathing!"

          "_Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name…"_ Christine quietly prayed as Sara started CPR and assisted breathing.

          _Please, _she begged, _please let him be okay. Don't let him die._

          "Oh My God!" Cynthia screamed when she saw her son on the ground with Sara trying to save his life, "Kayla! What happened!"

          "He yelled for help and Sara got him out, but he's not breathing,"

          "Oh _no!_ Not Brian, please, please, Brian breathe!" Cynthia begged her son as she sat beside him, watching Sara try to save his life.

Meanwhile, Marge, Ed, Nick and Jack were walking toward the lake when they heard Cynthia scream.

          "That can't be good," Nick said as he and Jack began running toward the group of people huddled around.

Sara continued her process of CPR and assisted breathing, silently begging for his life until she saw his chest move. He immediately began coughing and Sara turned him onto his side, allowing the water he had swallowed to get out of his lungs.

          "Oh my God, thank you Lord! My baby, are you okay?" Cynthia asked, pushing Brian's hair out of his face as he began breathing easily again.

          "Cynthia!" Jack yelled as he ran up to the group and saw his son being hugged by his wife, "What happened?? What happened?"

          Sara sat back on the ground, resting her arm on her knee. Kayla offered her a hand up, and Sara stood, wiping off the sand.

          "What happened?" Marge asked as they reached the group.

          "Sara just saved Brian's life!" Christine said.

~

**A/N:** Wow! What a shocker! Anyway next chapter: conferences begin, and Marge has a heart-to-heart with Sara PLUS: A SHOCKER!!!


	9. I Told You, Stick With The Brunettes!

Volume I: The Nascency

By:_ xKatx_

**Summary:** Sara was determined to get through the criminalistics conference feelings-free. They were staying with Nick's family, but Sara was determined not to get involved. It would bring her no where she wanted to be again…

**Author's Note:** OOPS! I found a mix-up! In chapter 2 Nick says that Kayla is older than Christine, only _Christine_ just turned twenty-two, and Kayla is only twenty! MY BAD! So the fixed birth order is: Robert, Cynthia, Tucker, Daniel, Grace, Tyler, Nick, Christine, and Kayla. Thank you!! :-D

**Request:** Read and review!

**Rating:** PG-13

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

          "Sara, you _saved _him?" Ed asked after Christine announced what had happened.

Sara shrugged as Jack pulled her into a tight hug.

          "Thank you so much, Sara," he said, his voice choking up, "Thank you for saving my son."

Sara awkwardly patted the man's back, "Um, no problem, Jack. I'm glad he's okay."

Nick looked down at his nephew, and then back at the woman he loved, who just happened to have just saved his nephew's life. 

Sara looked up at him and crossed her arms, smiling at him. He wrapped his arms around her and whispered, "Thank you, Sara."

She hugged him back and whispered, "Don't mention it."  
~

After dinner that night, everyone went outside for a campfire. Before everyone took their seats, Cynthia pulled Sara aside.

          "I didn't get a chance to properly thank you for saving my son's life today. Thank you so much. You have no idea what he means to me."

Sara smiled, "You're welcome. Anyone else would have done the same."

          "I know. But not many people would have put up with what I did to you, and I apologize."

          "It's all right, Cynthia. I would have probably been as protective of my sister if she had gone through what Nick has."

Cynthia looked interested, "You have a sister?"  
Sara smiled, "Yes. An older sister, Haylie."

          "How much older is she?" Cynthia asked as they made their way back to the campfire with everyone else. 

          "Two years older," Sara replied, "that makes her 35."

          "Same age as Grace," Cynthia noted.

Sara smiled and looked at Cynthia, "All right you're going to have to help me here. I don't know the ages of all of you. I know Kayla is twenty, Christine is twenty-two, Nicky is thirty-three, and that's where I'm lost."

Cynthia nodded, "Tyler is thirty-four, Grace is thirty-five, Daniel is thirty-seven, Tucker is thirty-eight, I'm thirty-nine, and Robert is forty."

          "Wow. Your parents met early, didn't they?"

          "They were married when my mother was seventeen and my dad was twenty," Cynthia replied with a grin, "They had Rob a year later, and on it went."

          "I don't think your mom wants me to know her age."

          "What's that?" Marge asked with a grin. Cynthia blushed, "Sorry, Mom."

          "Not a problem," Marge said with a wink, "I look good for fifty-seven, don't I?"

          "Absolutely," Sara replied with a grin, "My mom is fifty-five and she doesn't look nearly as good."

          "Oh come now, she only had two girls – not a barrel-load of children," Marge said, "These guys keep me young."

Sara laughed as Marge asked Sara to assist her in the kitchen.

          "Sure," Sara replied as she exchanged a few more words with Cynthia, and left to help Marge.

~

          "The conference starts tomorrow, right?" Marge asked. Sara nodded.

          "When are you and Nicky due back to Vegas?"

          "Well, our boss-"

          "Mr. Grissom?"

          "-Yes, Grissom, he wants us back in the office on the 7th of November."

          "Oh all right. When does the conference end?"

          "It only goes three days – it will be done by October 27th."

          "So when do you plan to leave for Vegas?"

Sara thought for a moment, "Well, it took us three days to get down here, and Nick wants a chance to get some rest before going back to work, so we'll probably leave the 3rd of November."

Marge nodded, and grew quiet. Sara didn't say anything, but wondered what was going on.

          "Dear, Nick told us about your family and what happened. But before you get angry with him, hear me out. Nick has never hurt a woman in his entire life, because if he did he knew his Daddy and his brothers would beat him for it. I understand where you're coming from. When I was fourteen, I was abused by my stepfather. He would hit me, and he would call me names. It took me a long time to finally completely trust Ed, but when I did I realized there are thousands of different people in this world, and that my stepfather wasn't the only type of man out there. You were thirteen, right?"

Sara nodded as she took out two litres of soda as instructed.

Marge stopped and looked at Sara like a daughter, "I have four daughter-in-laws, and two son-in-laws. My family won't get much bigger until Christine, Kayla, and Nick get married. But you have the chance to make a family for yourself still. I started early – I was only seventeen. You're thirty-three. It won't be long until your chances get slimmer and slimmer. Don't run from the future, dear, because when you live in your past, you miss out on chances to enjoy what's coming."

~

Sara jumped out of the shower the next morning, Marge's words still ringing in her ears as if she'd just heard them. It was so plain what she had said; Nick loved her, and deep down she loved him too. But she was too busy being afraid of her past to notice how well they worked together. She scolded herself harshly as she pulled on a pair of dark jeans, a black shirt, her black boots, and her leather jacket. She felt at home in these clothes – this was her standard style in Vegas. She clipped her phone to her belt and made her way down the stairs to find Marge, Kayla, Nick, Christine, Jared, and Ed already there.

          "Good morning, Sara," everyone chorused.

          "'Morning," she replied as she got her coffee. She could help but notice how good Nick looked. A black ribbed sweater and dark pants. She focused on not burning herself with the coffee when she looked at her watch.

          "We gotta go, Nick," Sara said as she hugged Marge goodbye and said goodbye to everyone else.

Nick nodded as he bid his family goodbye and left the room. Everyone gave knowing looks but said nothing.

Nick couldn't contain his laughter at how business-like Sara was again. He didn't mention anything, but he found it hysterical.

~

Six hours passed as they sat in the conference of fellow CSIs, learning some techniques they hadn't heard of before. When the day ended, Nick and Sara were both glad to return to the ranch.

          "They're so… _stuffy compared to your family," Sara noted as they drove back. Nick laughed._

          "You used to be like that," Nick noted with a hint of laughter in his voice.

Sara feigned a look of protest, "I was _not like that!"_

          "Don't fake it, Sidle, you were."

Sara raised an eyebrow, "Well you looked rather uncomfortable when that woman stood up."

          "Well of course I was uncomfortable," Nick stated, "Her dress was so tight I thought it would rip with every move!"

Sara couldn't contain her hysterics at the faces he was making when he mentioned that.

They returned to the ranch so tired that everything made them laugh. Nick nearly collapsed when Sara's jacket fell off the back of the chair she'd put it on, and Sara was sure she had cracked a rib when Nick fell up the stairs on his way to get changed. However, they managed to get changed and back down the stairs without laughing any more. Marge, Ed, Kayla, Christine, and Jared, the only ones home, just shook their heads at the two.

It was the middle of dinner when Sara's cell phone went off. She apologized to the family as she stood up and went to the kitchen to answer it.  Seconds later they heard her cry, "Oh my God are you serious!?"

          "Sara, what's going on?" Nick asked as she re-entered the dining room, still on the phone.

          "Catherine had the baby!!" She said as she listened to the phone. Nick got up and joined her where she was standing.

          "Okay, thanks Warrick, we'll wait for Grissom's call. Yeah. Are you kidding? I'll be holding on to the cell phone for dear life! Okay. Bye."

She flipped the phone shut and wrapped her arms around Nick's neck, "She had the baby! Oh my God can you believe it?" 

Nick hugged her back a huge smile on his face. He pulled away and quickly explained the situation to his family, who were excited the minute they understood.

          "What did they name it?" Nick asked.

Sara took a deep breath and face the entire dinner party, "It's a boy and they name him Dylan Michael Grissom!"

          "Aw, what an adorable name!" Christine said, "Is Dylan healthy?"

          "Warrick said he was the most healthy baby the doctor's have seen in a long time. Not so much as a slight cough!"

At that moment, her phone rang again.

          "Sidle," she said, "Oh Griss! Are you excited? I'll bet – I'm so happy for you. How does it feel to know you're a dad? Oh I know. Yeah."

          "Tell him we send him our congratulations," Marge mouthed. Sara nodded.

          "Yeah. Nick's family sends their congratulations, by the way." Sara paused, "He says thank you," she told them, and they smiled.

          "Do you want to talk to Nick? All right. Congrats Griss, this is awesome!"

And with that, she handed off the phone to Nick and sat down.

          "Hey Griss. Yeah that's awesome. Good name too. Does he look more like you or Cath?" Nick paused before laughing, "Good. Yeah. Oh I'll bet Lindsey is thrilled. All right, we'll let you go, but have Cath call us when she's got the energy, okay? Yeah. Bye."

Nick shut the phone and handed it back to Sara, "Dylan looks like Gil, which is good because both Cath and Lindsey are blondes – Grissom needs a brunette."

          "See?" Marge said, pointing toward Sara, "Stick with the brunettes!"

~

**A/N:** OMG Cath had the baby! How sweet! That was the shocker, by the way. Anyway, all the loose ends seem to be tied up, right? WRONG! Next chapter: Vanessa makes one last trip to the ranch before leaving for – VEGAS!? OH NO! Anyway Nick and Sara are getting closer and closer – will Vanessa tear them apart? I HOPE NOT! :-/ ***shivers at the thought***


	10. I Will!

Volume I: The Nascency

By:_ xKatx_

**Summary:** Sara was determined to get through the criminalistics conference feelings-free. They were staying with Nick's family, but Sara was determined not to get involved. It would bring her no where she wanted to be again…

**Author's Note:** This may be my last chapter until the weekend – don't worry, I'll spend all weekend working on this story, but I kinda can't when I'm going to school! Don't worry tho – I am by no means ending it right here. Besides – I have two more volumes planned, remember?!

**Request:** Read and review!

**Rating:** PG-13

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The next two days of conferences passed quickly, and soon it was over. October 27th was a Saturday, and Marge had invited everyone in her family over for a camp-out by the lake. The whole day, Marge, Kayla, Christine, Kimberly, Cynthia, Grace, and Marie pulled out tents and blankets and sleeping bags and pillows. By the time Nick and Sara returned, everything was set up. 

Sara met everyone at the campsite in black shorts, a gray hoodie, and black flip-flops. Nick too had changed into black basketball pants and a black Houston Gallup t-shirt.

          "Do you have a shirt for every single one of Texas' sports teams?"

Nick just grinned, "Why ask when you know the answer?"

Sara shrugged.

The sun sank quickly, and soon the campfire was lit. Sleeping arrangements had been made, and Nick and Sara ended up sharing a tent.

It was about eight-thirty when Jared stood up.

          "I found out some news today, and wanted to tell all of you. In a month, I'm being re-stationed to Fort Worth."

Christine squealed with happiness as she stood and hugged her beau. The family all started talking excitedly, but Jared said, "I'm not done yet!"

Everyone quieted down as he put his cup on the ground and stood back up. He took Christine's hands and looked at her.

          "Christine, I've loved you since our senior year of high school. When I left for the Marines four years ago, the only thing from home that I brought was a picture of you and me at the prom. I waited four long years do this, and now that I have permission, I'm going to."

And much to everyone's shock (except Ed's), Jared got down on one knee and produced a black velvet box.

          "Christine Elizabeth Stokes, will you marry me?"

Christine's eyes filled with tears as she nodded, "Of course, I'll marry you!"

          "Oh my Lord!" Marge cried as Jared placed the six carat diamond ring on Christine's left finger. Jared got back to his feet and they shared a kiss before the family tackled them. Sara hung back until the family had had their chances to oogle the ring and hug Christine. Nick soon rejoined Sara. When the family had cleared the way, Sara got up and hugged Christine.

          "Congratulations, Christine!" Sara said with a smile as she hugged the younger woman.

          "Thank you so much, Sara. One day things will be the same for you," Christine quietly reassured her.

Sara nodded before rejoining Nick at the fire. They suddenly heard the honking of a truck as one entered their driveway.

          "Oh _no_," Nick said quietly as he heard his friends' voices.

He stood up and walked over to the truck, leaving his family and Sara back at the camp fire.

          "Hey Nicko, we're back early!" Jeff called from the cab of the car. Again, Maile and Vaness were in the cab and Jeff's brother Luis was in the cab.

          "Welcome back," Nick said to Jeff, his eyes not falling once on Vanessa.

          "Nicky, we came to talk to you," she said, getting out of the car and coming around.

          "Vanessa, there's nothing to say," Nick insisted, but she took his hand and led him away from the car.

When they reached the side of the house, Vanessa looked at her feet before lighting up a cigarette and looking at her ex-fiancè.

          "I'm leaving for Vegas tomorrow," she informed him.

Nick's heart jumped into his throat, "Why Vegas?" He asked.

She shrugged, before running her finger down his chest, "Well, in a couple days you'll be returning there, won't you?"

          "I'll be going back to work," Nick replied coolly.

Vanessa rolled her eyes, "I still don't know why you insisted in becoming a VCI or whatever it is. You could have _easily_ made it in the NFL."

          "Why, so you could get a free ticket to being a Dallas cheerleader?" Nick spat. Vanessa's eyes flashed.

          "I don't know why you have all this pent-up hostility-"

          "You don't know why? I asked you to marry me, you accepted, and then a week later you run off with my best friend? How could that not piss me off, I may never know."

          "Nicky, that was almost ten years ago!" Vanessa insisted, taking a drag off her menthol cigarette, "Can't we start over?"

Nick looked at the ground. When she'd first left, that was all he prayed for: a chance to start over. But now…

          "No," Nick replied, "We can't. It's been ten years. I've changed, and you've changed."

          "It's because of _her_, isn't it? You said she was just a colleague, but you think I'm that stupid? I can see you love her. My only question is how? You two are complete opposites."

          "Well you and I were the same and _that_ didn't work out too well," Nick replied matter-of-factly, "So why not try the opposite?"

          "Nick, I'm moving to Vegas to be near you," Vanessa replied coldly, "I thought that's what you wanted."

          "Maybe ten years ago that's what I wanted, but now it's not. I want you to leave me, my family, and Sara _alone._ Understand?"

          "Nick, Jeff told me you cried for three days when I left you. Do you really want to go through that again?"

          "I have no reason to cry over you, Vanessa."

          "You love me, Nicky. You always have. Since we were in _third grade._"

          "We were young and juvenile."

          "You love _her_, don't you."

          "Yes, if you must know, I do love Sara. I love her more than I ever thought possible. What we had wasn't love; it was infatuation."

Vanessa narrowed her eyes, "You'll regret this one day, Nick. When Teddy and I are married next month, you'll regret it."

          "No, Vanessa. That's where you're wrong. I don't regret anything. I only learn from it."

          "Well you're going to get quite a hard lesson from this."

          "I wish you and Teddy the best, and I am sorry I can't attend the wedding –"

          "You're giving me up for her, you know –"

          "I hope you are blessed throughout the marriage, but if you'll excuse me, I have to go rejoin my family."

          "Biggest mistake, Nicky. I thought I knew you."

Nick turned around and faced the woman that had brought him more pain than anything he'd ever experienced.

          "I thought I knew you too, Vanessa Riley. But I learned my lesson a long time ago."

And with that, Nick walked back to rejoin his family and the woman he loved.

~

          "Quite a mess you've got yourself in, boy," Ed said after everyone except he and Nick had retired. Nick ran his hand through his hair.

          "Yeah."

          "She likes you, you know."

Nick's head shot up at this comment, "She _what_?"

Ed sat up in his seat and leaned on his knees, "You remember those clichès in high school, where the geek usually got a crush on the football player?"

Nick nodded.

          "Well, it's still that way," Ed said, waiting for his son to get the idea.

          "She thinks I wouldn't go for someone like her," Nick said quietly.

          "You're a smart boy, Nick," his father said as he lit his pipe, "You know how to handle women. But she is different, Nicholas."

Nick nodded, "That's what attracted me to her in the first place."

Ed looked at his son for a long time, "Christine is engaged. Josh and Kayla are getting closer. You're thirty-three, Nick. You're running out of time to think things over and wait."

          "I know, Dad, I know," Nick replied, "You think I don't _want_ to get married? I think about it a lot."

Ed nodded, "Well, from the looks of it, you and Vanessa are still over?"

Nick nodded, "Definitely."

          "I'm going to be completely honest, boy, and I want you to listen," his dad said.

Nick focused all of his attention on his father.

          "I have not seen such a match made in heaven since your mother and I," Ed said. 

With that, Ed stood and went to bed.

~

**A/N:** WELL – both know they care for each other, but neither know that each other feels like way (man am I turning into a soap opera writer or what!) Next chapter: I dunno, I need to brainstorm! lol I may not get to the next chapter until Friday, so please please PLEASE bear with me! If you have any ideas, email them to me: _xnegrl80x@hotmail.com_ !


	11. Flashback Dream

Volume I: The Nascency

By:_ xKatx_

**Summary:** Sara was determined to get through the criminalistics conference feelings-free. They were staying with Nick's family, but Sara was determined not to get involved. It would bring her no where she wanted to be again…

**Author's Note:** I guess you guys love my story, huh? Don't worry – it's not over yet! Not quite sure what's gonna happen next – just gonna let it flow ;)__

**Request:** Read and review!

**Rating:** PG-13

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**"Hey Mom," Nick said as he walked into the kitchen after returning from class at Rice, "Is Vanessa here?"**

**"No, why would she be?" Marge asked, looking at her youngest son after taking a pan out of the oven.**

**Nick frowned, "Maile told me she wasn't in class today."**

**Marge shrugged, "She hasn't called or anything."**

**Nick nodded as he sat down at the table with a Coke he'd grabbed from the refrigerator.**

**          "Nicky," his mother said, drying her hands with a towel as she joined him at the table, "Don't get angry with me for asking this, but are you sure about Vanessa?"**

**Nick looked at his mother for a moment, "Of course I am. I love her, she loves me. I proposed, she accepted. What would I not be sure about?"**

**Marge looked uneasy, "Vanessa doesn't seem like the type who at twenty-three wants to get married and settle down. I mean, you guys just graduated high school five years ago."**

**          "I know, Mom," Nick insisted, "But why would she accept if she wasn't ready?"**

**Marge just looked at her son, but said nothing.**

**~**

**"At this point, I'm freaking out," Nick said as he spoke to Jeff on the phone, "I haven't heard from her in forty-nine hours!"  
          "I know, man," Jeff said, "I haven't heard anything either."**

**Nick ran a hand through his hair, "What do you think happened?"**

**          "I have no clue, dude," Jeff replied as they heard a **beep**, "Sorry, lemme check who that is."**

**While Jeff spoke to the person on the other line, all sorts of worst-case scenarios ran through Nick's head. Maybe she'd been kidnapped? A car accident? Sick and alone and crying somewhere? The thoughts went from bad to worse, and Nick almost got sick to his stomach.**

**          "Still there, man?" Jeff asked as he came back on the line.**

**          "Yeah," Nick replied.**

**          "Um… that was Maile.." Jeff said slowly.**

**          "Has she seen Vanessa?" Nick asked, his voice clearly showing his concern.**

**          "Uh, yeah.. listen, I'll be over in five."**

**          "All right."**

**~**

**          "Maile said Vanessa called a couple days ago. Vanessa told her she didn't want to go through with the marriage and that she and Teddy were heading to Miami."**

**Nick sat in shock, unable to process what was being said, "Why wouldn't she want to go through with the marriage?"**

**          "Umm… well, Vanessa told Maile that you were too much of a 'goody-goody country Mama's boy' for her."**

**Nick still could not respond to what was being said. The only thing that registered in his mind was…**

**          'Vanessa has left.'**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nick awoke with a start. It was still dark – he guessed it was around four a.m or so. He looked at the form next to him and was extremely relieved to see brunette hair instead of blonde. He smiled – Sara's sleeping form was definitely something he could get used to waking up to. But, for the sake of her personal comfort and his own, he decided to get up, considering after that flashback dream he wouldn't be able to fall asleep again. He pulled on a pair of khaki shorts, black sneakers, and a red t-shirt with the Houston Rockets logo on it. He got out of the tent to find Cynthia sitting in a chair, looking out over the lake.

          "What are you doing up so early?" Nick asked, "Mom's not even up yet!"

          "I know," Cynthia replied, looking at her little brother, "I'm almost forty – that ground is rather uncomfortable."

Nick laughed, "Well, do what Mom and Dad did – use an air mattress!"

Cynthia grinned, "True. Listen Nicky…"

          "Is this about Sara?" Nick interrupted. Cynthia looked at her brother, and nodded.

          "Are you going to tell me she's a great girl and we would be perfect together and that after Vanessa I deserve some happiness?" Nick asked.

Again, Cynthia nodded.

          "Heard it about twenty-seven times since I got here, and I already know I love her," Nick informed his oldest sister, who looked at him again with a shocked expression.

          "You love her?" Cynthia asked.

Nick nodded.

          "Oh Nicky. Ever since Vanessa… I've wanted you to get married and feel the happiness that marriage and love brings. Now.." Cynthia couldn't finish due to the tears choking her up. Nick hugged his oldest sister and smiled at her.

          "Thank you, Cynthia. Now I need your help…"

~

          "Cath, what do you think I should do?" Sara asked, "I'm falling for him in the worst way."

          "I know, Sar," Catherine said after they'd spent almost half an hour talking about the baby, "But how far have you fallen?"

          "I love him, Cath," Sara said quietly, unaware that Marge had overheard the statement as she walked by the living room.

          "But are you ready to tell him?"

          "Absolutely not!"

          "Why?"

Sara sighed, "I'm scared, Cath. All the men I've ever loved and trusted have left. I promised myself a long time ago that I would never love another man."

          "Sara," Catherine said softly, "I think I am a pretty good judge of character, and I don't think Nick has any desertion tendencies."

Sara laughed along with Catherine at that comment.

          "So how? How do I tell him?"

Catherine shrugged even though Sara couldn't see her, "Find a secluded spot and just tell him you're in love with him."

Sara collapsed back on the couch, "Easier said than done."

~

          "We have to get them together!" Marge insisted to her husband, Kayla, Christine, Robert, and Cynthia as they sat in the living room that evening as Nick, Sara, Tyler, and Kimberly went out to get movies, "I accidently overheard Sara's conversation on the phone, and she loves him too!"

          "Now, Marge, we can't meddle in their affairs!" Ed insisted, but Marge rolled her eyes.

          "Ed, they are in love. They're just too nervous to express it."

          "All right," Kayla replied, "But how?"

That was the question that stumped them all.

~

**A/N:** Short, I know, but this story is going to be closing up soon, and then ON TO VOLUME II, which is currently unnamed, but don't worry, I'll come up with it! ;) keep the reviews coming, and let me kno if u'll be a Vol. II reader! :-D


	12. I Wouldn't Want It Any Other Way

**Volume I: The Nascency**

**By:**_xKatx_

**Summary**: Sara was determined to get through the criminalistics conference feelings-free. They were staying with Nick's family, but Sara was determined not to get involved. It would bring her no where she wanted to be again…

**Author's Note:** I guess you guys love my story, huh? Don't worry – it's not over yet! Not quite sure what's gonna happen next – just gonna let it flow ;) Vol. II is in the works! More about that later…__

**Request:** Read and review!

**Rating:** PG-13

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

          "How many more days do you have here?" Kayla asked. The whole Stokes family: Ed, Marge, Robert and his family, Cynthia and her family, Daniel and his family, Tucker and his family, Grace and her family, Tyler and his fianceè, Nick, Kayla, and Christine plus Jared and Sara were headed to Guadalupe National Park  for the last days of Sara and Nick's stay.

(**A/N:** There is no such thing as Guadalupe National Park in TX, but do you ever notice how there are hardly any mountains or bodies of water in TX? LOL)

"Two," Sara replied. The family was taking six cars, and the one Sara was in consisted of herself, Kayla, Christine, Jared, and Nick. It was a five hour drive, but it would place Nick and Sara closer to the state border for when they headed back to Las Vegas.

"Are you ready to go home?" Kayla asked, looking at Sara with piqued interest. She and Nick had been unconsciously flirting for the first half hour of the trip, and the three other occupants of the car had noticed.

Sara shrugged, "I suppose. I did have fun though."

Kayla smiled a weary smile. It had been four and a half hours, and everyone was sick of riding in the car. Marge and the others had devised this plan so that Sara and Nick would be in the perfect atmosphere to hopefully draw themselves out and finally express their feelings towards each other.

When they finally reached the park, Sara realized that there were cabins reserved for those who paid a pretty penny to stay a couple of days. As it turned out, the Stokes party received the best cabins. Sara ended up sharing with Kayla, Christine, Robert's daughter, Lela, and Grace's daughter, Allison. Christine was slightly disappointed that she would not be sharing with Jared, who was bunking with Nick, Robert, Ben, and Jack, but soon got over it when Lela and Allison produced bags of candy.

By time everyone had gotten their cabins set up, the sun was going down and the younger children were allowed to play with sprinklers, with Marge and Cynthia keeping an eye on them. Allison, Lela, Kelsey, and Danielle decided to go for a walk, and the adults sat around their large campfire. They tried to enjoy the evening, but the lack of activity and movement on the way to the park had caused most of the adults to turn in early. Soon it was only Nick, Sara, Kayla, Christine, Cynthia, Jack, and Jared awake. 

          "I heard there are going to be some fireworks on the lake," Christine said, "Should we head down and see if they're going to start?"

Everyone agreed, and left Cynthia and Jack to tend to the fire. Little did Nick and Sara know that this was part of the master plan that Nick's family had come up with. Their plan consisted of four steps:

1. Determine that both have feelings for each other

2. Find an opportunity/setting in which they can be alone

3. Make _sure_ they are alone

4. Pray to God they find the nerve to tell each other!

It was all the family could do not to spill the beans. The plan was finalized when Christine and Kayla gave Cynthia and Jack knowing winks as they headed down to the lake.

          "It's going to be hard to see the fireworks 'cause of the moon," Jared noted as they reached the docks.

Kayla shrugged, "We'll be able to see them fine enough."

Sara looked out with a smile over the lake. The moon's light reflected off the crystal pool with a majestic beauty that almost took her breath away. Nick looked at her expression, and smiled. Her beauty almost rivaled that of the sight. He, of course, did not voice this thought. 

Sara nearly jumped out of her skin when the first fireworks began to go off. The show lasted for a good fifteen minutes, with more lights shining in the sky than Las Vegas at nighttime. During this time, Kayla, Christine, and Jared made their silent escape, moving off the dock and about 300 yards down the shoreline.

When the fireworks ended, Nick and Sara turned around to find the three other members of the group had disappeared.

          "I wonder where they ran off to," Sara said, looking back out over the lake.

Nick shrugged, "Probably moved down the shore to see it from a different angle."

Sara nodded, and shivered as a cold breeze blew past her. Nick noticed her shivering, and asked if she wanted to go back.

          "No," Sara replied, shaking her head, "I don't want to leave yet."

Nick nodded, "All right," he said. 

They continued to look out over the water, enjoying their time together. As if someone had suddenly poked them, the both turned and looked at each other, realizing what Nick's family had known all along.

          "How could this work?" He asked, clearly questioning what was going on between them.

          "I don't know," Sara replied, shaking her head. The two just stood, looking at each other with newly-opened eyes.

          "You're from the city."

          "You're from the country."

          "We hardly agree."

          "We're colleagues."

          "We don't agree on radio stations."

Sara laughed at Nick's comment, smiling up at him as his hand reached her cheek.

          "I'm willing to give in a little," Nick said softly, looking at Sara, "If you'll trust me."

Sara nodded, "I've trusted you for a long time, Nick. Why wouldn't I now?"

Nick shrugged, "Our pasts have been a problem."

          "Our pasts are in the past," Sara replied quietly, looking at him.

          "Are you ready to move on?" Nick asked.

Sara nodded, "Are _you_ ready to move on?"

          "More ready than ever."

And before Sara could reply, Nick's lips touched hers. She put a hand to his face as she kissed him back.

_Wow_, both of them thought.

Sara couldn't believe how soft his lips were, and how gentle he was. She immediately fell in love with him all over again. She felt like she was floating on a cloud of perfect bliss.

Nick couldn't believe it either. He'd looked at her a thousand times, but never guessed she would be that gentle when she kissed. He swore sparks were flying all over the place.

When they broke apart, Sara's eyes opened to find Nick's brown ones almost out of view. She noticed the moon had been covered by some clouds, and she couldn't see his face.

          "This is all new to me," Sara said, sounding almost embarassed.

Despite the fact that Nick couldn't see her face, he knew she was looking at him, probably blushing. 

          "You've never kissed anyone before?" Nick asked, a hint of humor in his voice.

Sara pushed him playfully, "Of course I've kissed before! Duh."

Nick laughed, "But…" he prodded.

          "But," Sara continued, "You're the best."

Nick buffed his nails on his chest and she pushed him again, "You better watch it, Stokes, or you'll end up in the water."

Nick wrapped his arms around her waist and replied, "If I go, you go, Sidle."

          "Damn," Sara said, as she put her hands on his biceps, "Nicky, I would hate to see you play pro-football."

Nick nodded, "So would a lot of people," he replied with an air of conceitedness. Sara scoffed and slapped him.

          "All joking aside, what happens now?" Sara asked.

          "Well," Nick said, "We both live in the city, you seem to like the country, no couple ever agrees on everything, Cath and Griss are colleagues too, and we don't have to listen to the radio."

Sara laughed until she thought she might crack a rib. Nick smiled and laughed a couple of times, enjoying the sound of Sara's laugh.

          "Not that," Sara replied when she'd gained her breath again, "I mean, are we…"

          "Well," Nick said, planning to finish Sara's thought, "I want to be with you, you want to be with me, so I guess we're together."

Sara hugged Nick and smiled, "I wouldn't want it any other way."

~

          "They're together! They're together!" Kayla whispered excitedly as she, Christine, and Jared spotted Nick and Sara hugging on their way back to rejoin Cynthia and Jack at the campfire.

          "No kidding," Christine replied, "Took long enough."

Jared entwined his fingers with Christine's and smiled, "Hope they end up as happy as others have."

Kayla smiled, "We wouldn't want it any other way!"

~

**A/N:** OMG They are together!! YAY!! Alritey I'm thinking that Vol. I is gonna end during the road trip on the way back to Vegas, and Vol. II will pick up after that! Vol. III is still developing. Anyway, I'm thinking there are about two or three more chapters in this volume, so keep an eye out – they'll be out soon! Plus, feel free to email me with any ideas: xnegrl80x@hotmail.com thanks! :-D I luv u guys!


	13. The Nascency

**Volume I: The Nascency**

**By: **_xKatx_

**Summary:** Sara was determined to get through the criminalistics conference feelings-free. They were staying with Nick's family, but Sara was determined not to get involved. It would bring her no where she wanted to be again…

**Author's Note**: Oh my gosh, you guys really love my story! LOL I can't thank everyone cause it would take _way too long_ but all of you rock for your reviews! Sorry it's taken so long to update, but I'm tryin! I luv u guys tons!! ***tears of happiness***

**Request:** Read and review!

**Rating:** PG-13

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

In no time at all, Nick's family learned of the blossoming couple. Unlike Christine and Jared, who while being engaged were all over each other, both Nick and Sara were very conscious and polite about how much contact that made in front of others. Neither of them were comfortable doing anything except holding hands, hugging, and quick kisses while in the company of others.

          "I'm so proud of Nick," Marge said the following afternoon as she sat with her husband and her three oldest children, "Do you remember how he was with Vanessa?"

          "You mean how she was with him," Ed corrected her, and Marge nodded.

          "Yeah, I remember," Daniel commented, looking down toward the lake where the rest of the family was swimming, "They were all over each other. I can remember a thousand times where we would be in the living room and she would start making out with him right in front of us."

          "Yeah, but remember who it was," Cynthia said darkly, "Vanessa wasn't really what we thought she was. Sara is a lady."

          "With a mean right hook," Ed joked, "Nick told me she's been trained in hand to hand combat."

          "Well," Marge said, "She's a lady, but she's no doormat."

          "That's exactly what Nicky needs," Cynthia replied, "A woman who can love him, but also handle him."

The others laughed and nodded in agreement.

          "But," Ed interrupted, "We can't jump to conclusions. We're not even sure if they've said 'I love you' yet. Plus, it's not like their getting married tomorrow."

          "True," Marge said, "We only have one wedding in the future right now."

Everyone smiled as they remembered their second youngest sister was due to be married. The subject quickly changed, but the thoughts of Sara and Nick still lingered.

~

          "We only have one day left in Texas," Nick commented as he and Sara took a walk around the lake the evening, hand in hand as the sun went down.

Sara sighed and nodded, "Yeah. Back to the city."

          "Back to _work,_" Nick groaned, and Sara laughed at his expression. She could help it – his face was priceless.

She looked out at the water, basking in the complete happiness she felt at that moment. To her, everything in the world was in place – everything was right.

          "Penny for your thoughts?" Nick asked with a grin as they stopped at a pile of rocks, where they sat together, their hands linked and their hearts both swelling.

Sara shrugged, "All I've gone through – right now, it just seems worth it if this is where I've ended up."

Nick flashed her a smile and nodded, pushing some of her hair behind her ear, "The feeling is reciprocated."

His hand rested on her cheek, and she leaned into his touch.

          "I wish I could see the future – that way I could see what's going to happen in the next week, month, year."

Nick shook his head, "What would be the fun in that?"

          "The excitement?" Sara suggested, "Of knowing something good is coming."

Nick smiled, and gently pressed his lips to hers, having fought the urge ever since dinner.

Sara kissed him back, but looked at him questioningly, "What was that for?"

Nick raised an eyebrow, "Can't a man kiss his girlfriend without question?"

Sara grinned cheekily, "That has a nice ring to it."

          "It does, doesn't it?" Nick replied, smiling at her.

          "I don't know about you," she said, "But I cannot stop smiling."

He laughed, "Don't worry, neither can I. I like it, though."

Sara nodded, "It's better than frowning, I suppose."

Nick rolled his eyes, "I try to never frown."

Sara looked at him out of the corner of her eye as she looked at the sinking sun, "It's kind of hard to smile when you're working on a case, though."

Nick nodded, "That's true."

The two sat quietly for a while, "But," Nick said as he wrapped his arms around her, "Let's enjoy smiling while we can."

Sara snuggled into his embrace, "I second that motion."

~

          "Must you go?" Marge asked her youngest son sadly. It was the next morning, and it was time for Nick and Sara to head back to Vegas.

Nick nodded as he stopped to hug his mother for the fifth time, "Yeah, Mom. We have to go. But don't worry, if Sara and I-"

          "Sh! You'll jinx it!" Marge said with a smile.

Nick rolled his eyes, "If Sara and I are still together by Christmas, we may come back down or we'll fly you and dad up."

Marge nodded, but the tears that had gathered in her eyes threatened to overflow.  
          "Mom, I hadn't come home before until now," Nick said, "It won't be that bad. We can call and email and it's only a three day drive to Vegas or Dallas."

Marge nodded again, but couldn't speak.

Nick stopped loading the Tahoe as he pulled his mother into his arms, "Mom, why are you so upset?"

Marge shook her head as she hugged her son, "You're my baby boy, Nick. And I'm going to miss you. But these aren't tears of sadness – I'm happy. I'm happy you're going home with a woman who will take care of you."

Nick smiled, "I know, Mom. Dad said he's glad there'll be a woman around to keep me under control."

Marge burst into laughter, "Well, I'm also glad of that too. Nicky," she said, lowering her voice, "Are you and Sara going to be living together?"

Nick shrugged, "We haven't talked it over. I'm going to bring it up on the way back, though."

His mother nodded as she watched Nick continue re-loading the Tahoe.

          "Nicky," she said quietly, "Do you love her?"

Nick turned around and looked at his mom, "What?"

          "Do you love Sara, or do you just like her?"

Nick stopped, putting his hands on his hips, letting out a long breath, "I love her, Mom."

Marge smiled and nodded, "Good."

~

          "Nicky and Sara are together," Catherine said that evening as she lay Dylan into his crib and looked over at her husband.

          "Took long enough," Grissom commented as he looked down at his newborn son, "You think they'll be professional about it?"

Catherine looked up at him, "Of course they will. It's Nick and Sara, Gil."

Grissom nodded, but continued to have a worried expression on his face.

          "What?" Catherine asked as she tucked her baby boy in.

Grissom shrugged, "Do you think all these inter-office relationships could mess up the 'groove' of the team?"

Catherine laughed and kissed her husband, "Of course not! Nothing happened when we were married. What makes you think Sara and Nick's relationship will change things?"

Grissom shrugged again, avoiding his wife's gaze.

          "Ah ha!" Catherine said quietly, "I know what you're worried about!"

Grissom looked at her, "What?"

          "You're comfortable with the way things are and you don't want them to change, do you?"

Grissom tried to hide the confirmation in his face, but Catherine knew it was there.

She wrapped her arms around her husband and held him close, "Gil, we have two children, the lab is number one in the country, Nick and Sara are together – everything is _good_."

          "It won't last," Grissom replied.

Catherine shrugged, "No, probably not," she said, looking up at her husband, "But let's enjoy it while we can."

Grissom agreed with her suggestion by kissing her.

~

          "Can you believe Nick and Sara are together?" Greg asked as Warrick entered the break room.

          "I knew it would happen eventually," Warrick replied as he waited for Greg to finish with the coffee, "It was only a matter of time before they gave in."

          "Gave in to what?" Greg asked as he finished and moved out of the way.

Warrick grinned as he sipped his coffee, "Fate."

          "_You_ believe in fate?" Greg asked as he got himself a cup.

Warrick shrugged, "Not necessarily. In some cases, I think things just kind of click in a pre-planned way. But overall I don't think everything that ever happens is completely planned out."

Greg shrugged, but didn't comment.

          "But I'm glad they are happy," Warrick said as he glanced at his watch.

          "Yeah," Greg agreed.

          "But they better be ready to work in forty-eight hours!"

~

          "Entering Nevada!" Sara said with a grin. It was mid-afternoon, the hot desert sun splaying its rays down upon the black Tahoe. Sara looked over lovingly at the man she no longer had to hide feelings from. Nick felt the exact same thing as he wondered what the future would bring for them. Across the arms of the two front seats, two hands lay linked together – a symbol of how nascency can bring even the most socially-introverted people from the dark to the light.

~

**A/N:** YAY! Volume One is DONE! I am currently beginning _Volume II: Perpetual Ardency_ and the first chapters should be up soon! REVIEW and/or email me: xnegrl80x@hotmail.com with ideas, suggestions, or questions! I shall return with the continuing saga of Nick/Sara, Catherine/Grissom(plus Lindsey and Dylan), and MAYBE a little Warrick/OC OR Greg/OC ;)


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